Deceptions
by Riter's Fury
Summary: SEQUEL to Invincible. Steve's hands are full trying to be a dad and fixing his relationship with his brother, but the escape of a recently imprisoned adversary pushes him to his limit. When Steve finds himself in prison he makes a deal with a mysterious operative to secure his freedom sending himself and his team on a dangerous mission where nothing is as it seems. Steve/OC Kono/OC
1. And So It Begins

**This story is the sequel to "Invincible". I suggest you read that one first because there are a lot of character back stories and plot that carry into "Deceptions". **

**Extended summary: **Steve's fiancé, Alex, has gone back to Virginia to tie up loose ends with her job and prepare for her new life in Hawaii. She has left eight year old Natalie behind to begin school, which presents Steve with the challenge of learning how to be a father. Kono's attraction to Steve's younger brother, Nate, becomes more apparent to Chin and the others, but Nate seems to be the only one not catching on.

When Paul Keller, escapes from prison, Steve can't shake the feeling that Nate knows more than he is telling. Secrets threaten to part the brothers forever, but Danny tries desperately to keep them together. When Steve's life is turned upside down and he finds himself on the wrong side of the law, he is forced to join a mysterious operative to take down their common enemy in exchange for his freedom. The rest of the Five-0 team and several other skilled professionals join in the dangerous task. But will the mission, which is meant to obtain justice, twist into a sinister plot of revenge, placing all their lives at risk?

**Deceptions**

**by: ****Riter's Fury**

**Chapter 1 **

"**And So It Begins"**

"Could you _please_ take your corners a little slower?" Danny requested as he clutched the door of his new Camaro. "You almost ran over that little old lady back there."

Steve glanced in the rear view mirror in time to see the little old lady just beginning to cross the street. Shaking his head, he gave his partner an annoyed look. "That's the third time you've done that today."

"Done what?"

"Accused me of driving recklessly when I'm not, you're annoying me."

"_I'm_ annoying _you_!" Danny exclaimed. "I'm trying to keep you alive."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine."

"Of course you are, today is _only_ Wednesday."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Alex left on Monday, so I'll give you until tomorrow night before you really start losing it."

"I'm not going to lose anything. Why are you even bringing Alex up?"

"Because I can tell her absence is bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?"

Steve looked briefly out his side window in an attempt to keep himself from saying the first thing that came to his mind. Turning back to face his partner, he replied with a sarcastic tone, "Sure, Danny, let's talk about it."

"Okay," Danny said with enthusiasm, "where would you like to start?" Several moments of silence passed as Danny watched his partner. "You're not going to say anything are you?"

Steve did not reply, but merely smirked and gave Danny a side-long glance.

Danny shook his head and turned away to look out his window. "I don't know why I bother to try and help you."

Steve appreciated Danny's concern; in fact he had grown to like it, but right now he could not talk about Alex. Danny's observation that her absence bothered him was true. It was not enough for him to hear her voice on the other end of the phone or see her on a video call. He needed to be able to take her hand or pull her into his arms. He knew he could _function_ without her, but he knew he could not _live_ without her. Sunday could not come fast enough.

"Hey!" Danny yelled suddenly, throwing his hands up in alarm. "You're supposed to stop at red lights!"

"Will you shut up and let me drive!" Steve snapped.

Danny twisted in his seat so he could face Steve. "Oh, I'm sorry if I want to be safe while driving in _my _car."

Steve jerked his head towards Danny "Safe?"

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Danny ordered.

"I've never been in an accident while driving your car. I'm a safe driver."

At that moment the Camaro made a strange noise that sounded like gunfire mixed with exploding rubber. The car swerved and Steve struggled to regain control of the vehicle. Unfortunately, he was unable to correct its course and they collided with a fire hydrant, causing the airbags to deploy. Danny's curses were drowned out by a geyser of water exploding from the ground and several gunshots ringing through the air.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate McGarrett adjusted his sunglasses as he scanned the outlying area of the park. At a quick glance, one might mistake him for his older brother Steve, but upon closer inspection one would notice the differences. He sat perched atop a picnic table, his feet resting on the bench seat, waiting for his overdue associate.

He thought back to the order given to him by his boss, two days previous, and what it would mean if he followed through with it. Breaking Paul Keller out of prison was not something he desired to do. He knew this action would cause his brother anguish and turmoil. It was not unknown to Nate the past his brother had with Keller and the trauma that man had inflicted upon Alex Reilly.

However, Nate understood why he needed to carry out this order, but if this plan went awry and he was caught, Nate dreaded his brother's reaction. He knew it would be anger and then utter disappointment. He could not handle his brother feeling that way about him because their father went to his grave viewing him as a failure.

Nate observed a man walking towards him, wearing a suit, minus the tie, sunglasses and a smug expression.

Nate groaned inwardly. _And so it begins_, he thought.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"You said you never what?" Danny roared, yanking off his seatbelt.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked.

"I'm fine, but my _brand new car_ isn't! I now have a yellow fire hydrant as a hood ornament! This would never happen in Jersey!"

"Danny, calm down."

Any chance of him calming down was annihilated as a bullet punched through his side window and buried itself in the dashboard. The blonde haired detective threw himself into his partner's lap trying to escape the now disabled vehicle without getting a bullet to the head.

Steve struggled to open his door. "Get the hell off me so I can open my door!"

"If I move backward you're going to have a dead partner on your hands."

"If you don't get off me I'm going to have a dead partner on my lap!"

Danny shifted his weight slightly to allow Steve to move and push open the door. Water showered down on the two men as they escaped the wreck. Several more gunshots resounded in the air as they took cover near the back side of the car, enduring the downpour of water on their heads.

"We have to get away from Old Faithful here," Danny yelled.

"Let's get behind those cars over there until we can figure out what's going on," Steve replied in a loud voice.

The men hurried away from the drenching spray of water and made it safely to their new cover. In the distance they heard sirens approaching their location.

"Where are the shots coming from?" Danny asked. He noticed Steve already scanning the area for the answer.

"From the angle of the gunshot through your window it's probably coming from somewhere up there," Steve judged, pointing toward a five story concrete building. "The shooting seems random, no particular target."

"I don't call it random that he blew out my back tire and put a bullet through my window. I'm going up there to get that guy."

Steve glanced at his watch. "I'm sure S.W.A.T is on its way. They can handle this, we have other things to deal with."

Danny looked at him with bewilderment. "Did that water short circuit your brain or something? You, Steve McGarrett, are really going to leave S.W.A.T. to deal with this maniac?"

"It's two-fifteen, Danny."

"Since when does the time have anything to do with us going to get a suspect? He destroyed my car and he is going to destroy other people's cars, or worse, shoot the people themselves if we don't do something about it."

Steve looked back at the crashed Camaro as he remembered the conversation he had with eight year old Natalie earlier that morning, while driving her to her first day of school.

_"I don't wanna go to school, I'm not going to like it," Natalie whined. "Can't I go to work with you and help catch the bad guys?"_

_ "How do you know you won't like it?" Steve replied._

_ "Because."_

_ "That's not a reason."_

_ "What if I can come up with a better one?"_

_ "You need to go to school."_

_ She frowned, but tried to negotiate a deal that would make her feel better. "I'll only go if you're there to pick me up at three o'clock when it's over."_

_ Steve quickly looked in his rear view mirror at the little girl in the backseat as he calculated what his day consisted of. He thought he could be available at three, although, one never knew what might come up. In the end, Natalie won; he had a hard time saying no to that face. "I'll be there."_

_ "Promise?"_

_ "Yeah, I promise."_

Steve sighed, unsure how to proceed. He wanted nothing more than to get up there and nail this guy, but he promised Natalie he would pick her up from school and he did not want to disappoint her.

"Hey, earth to Steven," Danny exclaimed. "Where are you?"

"Sorry," Steve said focusing on his partner, "call Chin and Kono and tell them what's going on."

"I already did. They're on their way. Do _you_ know what's going on? We have a sniper shooting up the town while you're daydreaming! What the hell is wrong with you?"

Steve threw Danny an irritated look. "Give me a minute," he said as he pulled out his phone to make arrangements for someone else to pick up Natalie.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"You're late, Lynch," Nate said, greeting the CIA agent.

"Fashionably so," he replied. "When I was told I would be going to a clandestine meeting with someone I hoped it would be a woman and not you. I'm still annoyed with you for not informing me sooner about Keller's location. You know I wanted to apprehend him myself."

"So you could put a bullet through his head?"

Lynch shrugged. "I won't deny the thought crossed my mind."

Nate knew the tension that lay between the two men and he purposely had waited to inform Lynch about Keller's location until he was sure Steve and his team would arrive first.

"We're in a park, what's up with the suit?" Nate asked.

"I like to look good," Lynch said, straightening his jacket.

"For a meeting in a park?"

"There are women in the park."

"Is that all you think about?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lynch apologized, placing a hand on his chest. "I quite forgot that you don't have time for such _trivial pursuits_."

Nate shook his head in annoyance. "Can we just get on with it?"

"Yes, the meeting of the SSCO will now come to order." Lynch pounded the table for emphasis.

"What are you talking about?"

"Super Secret Covert Ops. I came up with that myself, do you like it?"

"You're an idiot. How did I get stuck working with you."

"I think its how did I get stuck working with _you_. Oh, yeah! I'm one of the _chosen_ few, unfortunate enough to know your little secret," Lynch said, sarcasm seeping from every pore in his body.

"Hey, did you not want me to save your life two years back?"

"I'm having second thoughts about it now."

"Sadly it's too late. Now, can we get down to business?"

"Anything to get this over with."

"Okay, first of all, here's your lunch," Nate said handing him a paper bag.

"Oh, what did my wife pack for me today?" he said peering into the bag. "Too bad I already ate."

"You have to eat again. This meeting will look ridiculously suspicious otherwise. If it doesn't already," Nate said pointing to Lynch's suit. "Now sit down and eat."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The subject on the roof seemed unaffected by the emergency personnel gathered below as he continued to fire at nothing specific. The area surrounding the shooter's location had been cordoned off by the police and now the 5-0 team stood geared up and ready to make entry into the building.

"S.W.A.T is five minutes out," Chin informed his team members.

"If we wait any longer he is liable to hit someone," Danny said.

Chin looked at Steve. "It's your call, Boss."

"Well, we've taken on worse without S.W.A.T.," Steve said.

At that moment, a police officer approached them escorting a man who was clearly agitated. "Commander McGarrett," the officer called, "this man claims to know the shooter."

"What's your name?" Steve asked the man.

"Nolan Tarella," the man answered. "That's my brother up there."

"Why do you think that's your brother?" Danny questioned.

"An hour and a half ago my brother called me, but I was in a meeting and I couldn't pick up. When I checked the message he said, 'I'm sorry, I love you'. I tried calling his cell phone several times, but he didn't pick up. He finally sent me a text message that said 'too late, cops here' and then I heard about this shooting and I knew it had to be him." A look passed between Steve and Danny causing Nolan to quickly add, "I'm sure he doesn't want to hurt anyone. He's probably just waiting for you to go up there and shoot him because he can't do it himself. Please, you've got to help my brother!"

"We're going to do what we can, but can you tell us why he would do something like this?" Steve asked.

"He's in the Army. He just came back from Afghanistan three months ago; he had a rough time over there, he lost a couple of his buddies. I could tell he was struggling, but he was working through it. He was so glad to be home with his wife and son, but a few days ago his wife told him she wanted a divorce and he just fell apart." The anguish on Nolan's face was tangible. "When I asked him yesterday how he was doing he joked with me about ending his life. But then he said he was doing fine. Why would he lie to me? I-I should have seen this coming."

"Hey, this is not your fault," Danny assured him. "We're going up there to do whatever we can to bring your brother back safely."

"What's your brother's name?" Steve asked Nolan.

"Nick," he replied.

"Okay, we need you to stay here in case we need your help," Steve said. "Officer, stay here with this man." He nodded to his team and they made their way across the street just as his phone vibrated, with the reminder he had set to pick up Natalie. _She'll forgive me,_ he thought. _Right?_

They entered the building without incident and began making their way up to the roof.

As Danny pounded up the stairs he could not help but think about what happened when his brother, Matt, had been in trouble. It saddened him that he had been unable to help his younger sibling. Yes, Matt was still alive, but as far as Danny knew, he was gone from his life forever. He determined to not let the Tarella brothers lose each other.

They arrived at the entrance to the roof. Steve eased the door open and peered out, but the subject could not be seen; he was out of sight behind the large air vents on the far side of the roof. Stepping out into the bright sunshine, Steve motioned for them to fan out and make their way toward the shooter. They separated. Danny went left, Steve and Chin went up the middle, while Kono took the right side.

Danny felt the familiar sense of urgency building within him as he moved carefully across the roof. He could hear the sound of gunfire echoing around him while he concentrated on what needed to happen in the next few minutes.

He looked around one of the large air vents and spotted the subject. He noted with dismay the man also carried a handgun tucked into the back of his pants. The man faced away from Danny and would not see him if he approached, but in the shooter's peripheral vision, Steve, Chin and Kono would not remain undetected.

In light of Nolan's information, Danny worried how Nick would react when he realized he was surrounded. Would he draw his gun on them so they would have to shoot him or would he pull the handgun on himself? The blonde haired detective only had a matter of seconds before the rest of the team converged on the man. He decided he needed to somehow get the weapons away from him. He needed to make sure Nolan Tarella did not lose his brother today.

**A/N: I want to thank my partner in crime (my mother) who spends so much time writing with me now that we often finish each others sentences and thoughts.**

**And thanks to Shakespeare's Lemonade for all her input and SandraAnna for her encouragement.**

**Thank you for reading. Comments are very welcome. :)**


	2. Home

**Chapter 2 **

"**Home"**

Steve knew something was wrong. The scuffling noises and muted words he heard through his earpiece gave him an uneasy feeling. He looked around the large air vent to try and glimpse the shooter, but the only thing he saw was the shooter's rifle discarded on the roof.

"Is everyone okay?" he spoke into his headset. Chin stood only a few feet away and he heard Kono confirm she was alright, but no response came from Danny. "Danny, are you okay?" Steve said urgently.

"Just peachy," Danny replied in a gruff voice.

Steve did not like the tone in his partner's voice or the groan that followed his reply. "Do you see Tarella?" No answer came and Steve exchanged a concerned look with Chin as Kono hurried over to their position. Something was definitely wrong.

Steve sent Chin back to retrace Danny's steps while he and Kono proceeded forward with caution. Their guns were drawn, ready for anything; except for what they discovered.

About twenty-five feet away, they saw Danny kneeling on the ground with his hands laced behind his head. His forehead boasted a long, thin cut over his left eyebrow, which was of little consequence, considering the gun that was held to his right temple by the shooter, Nick Tarella.

"Stay there!" Nick yelled. His brown eyes held a wild look as they darted back and forth between the man and the woman coming toward him as he tried to gauge which one held the greater threat.

"Okay, we're staying right here," Steve replied.

Nick focused on the man and noticed the intensity on his face. He had seen that look many times in Afghanistan on the faces of his fellow solders during the height of a mission. He came to the conclusion that the tall, dark haired man was out to complete a mission; he was definitely the one to worry about. The woman faded away and was forgotten as far as Nick was concerned. "You," he said, referring to Steve, "put your gun down or I'll shoot him."

"I'm Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett-"

"I don't care who you are. I'm going to hurt this guy if you don't do what I say."

Steve raised his left hand to try and calm him. "I don't think you really want to hurt anyone."

"I will if you don't put your gun down!" Nick threatened. Steve did not respond fast enough, so Nick yanked Danny to his feet and wrapped an arm around his neck, pushing the gun hard against his hostage's head. Danny grimaced from the pain, but did not make a sound.

"Okay, okay, I'm putting it down," Steve said, holding up both hands. He carefully bent down and placed his gun on the roof, kicking it aside with his foot. "Why don't we talk about what's going on with you, Nick."

"How do you know my name?"

"Your brother Nolan told me. He's here and he's really worried about you."

"I told him it was too late," Nick blurted out as he wiped the sweat off his forehead with his upper arm. "Why did he come?"

"He cares about what happens to you."

"He's my brother, he's supposed to care, but it's not enough." His gaze wandered into the distance. "I need…" Nick trailed off as his gun fell away slightly from Danny's head.

"What do you need, Nick?" Steve asked.

This caught Nick's attention and he shifted his eyes back to Steve. Desperation filled his voice and covered his face as he answered, "I need my little boy. My wife is going to take him away."

Danny closed his eyes; he could identify with that. He remembered the agony he suffered when Rachel left New Jersey and took Grace with her. Grace was his world. Nick Tarella's boy seemed to be his world, too. Maybe Steve could somehow use that to help resolve this conflict. Danny could tell his partner was searching for the right words to say. He made eye contact with Steve and mouthed the word "Grace" to give him an idea where to begin.

Steve understood what his partner wanted him to say, but he found himself feeling frustrated that Danny had a gun to his head and all he could do at the moment was try to talk the gunman into putting down his weapon.

Steve was the man of action. Danny was the man of words. This was not how things should be, yet here Steve found himself; not do or die, but talk or die.

He focused on what Danny wanted him to talk about. "What's your son's name?" Steve questioned Nick.

"Eric," he answered hesitantly.

"That man you have there, his name is Danny, and he has a little girl, her name is Grace. How do you think she'll feel if her father isn't there to pick her up from school?"

Nick looked down at his hostage. "You have a little girl?"

"Yeah, she's eight," Danny replied.

"My boy's five."

Nick seemed to calm down somewhat.

"If you put the gun down now, everybody goes home," Steve suggested.

The word "home" produced a fire in Nick's eyes, almost as if Steve had lit a match with that word.

"_Home_!" Nick cried out. "I don't have a wife, I don't have a son. How can I have a home?"

"Eric _is_ your son," Steve reminded him.

"No, he's not," Nick wailed, shoving the barrel of the gun back into the side of Danny's head. "My wife just told me after all this time that Eric isn't mine and she's leaving me for his father."

Nick was escalating. Steve needed to act quickly.

"Hey, take it easy," Steve cautioned.

"I'm in position, Boss," he heard Chin say through his ear piece.

Steve glanced to his right and saw Kono also poised to shoot if necessary. Unsure of what to say next, he listened as Nick rambled on about the son he no longer had.

A few moments later, Steve felt his phone vibrate with the second alarm he had set as a reminder that he should be at Natalie's school by this time. It was three o'clock. _Natalie_, he thought. "What does your son call you?" Steve asked suddenly.

This surprised Nick and he stopped with his angry rant. "W-what?"

"What does Eric call you?"

Nick thought about that for a second. "Um…daddy. But I'm not his daddy."

"Not true," Steve corrected him.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have to be someone's flesh and blood to be their father. I know from experience that a kid doesn't call you 'daddy' unless they accept you as that."

"D-do you have a kid?"

"Yeah, her name is Natalie. She's not related to me in anyway, but she's mine, and I would do _anything_ for her. Just like you would do anything for your son. Do you want your son to remember you like this?" Nick still held the gun to Danny's head, but he was wavering. "It's your choice," Steve told him. "Remember, your decision will affect not only your son, but your brother Nolan, too."

Nick blinked several times trying to think through the words that had just been said to him.

Steve felt beads of sweat trickle down his back as he waited for Nick to make a decision. "Just put the gun down."

Nick looked at the gun in his hand for a long moment and then attempted to raise it to his own head, but a voice of reason called out to him.

"Come on, Nick," Steve encouraged him. "Your brother is waiting for you."

It seemed like an eternity, but in reality it was merely a matter of seconds before an agonizing moan emanated from deep within Nick. He slowly lowered the gun to his side and released Danny. His legs wobbled beneath him and he collapsed onto the roof crying.

Danny sank to his knees breathing a sigh of relief. _That was too close_, he thought.

Chin walked forward to handcuff the man and Kono picked up the discarded weapons. Steve came alongside Danny, but did not speak, giving his partner some time to compose himself.

"I think this is where you're supposed to ask me if I'm okay," Danny said, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"That's quite a cut you have on your forehead," Steve remarked. "Are you okay?"

"It doesn't mean the same thing if I have to remind you to ask how I am."

"You didn't really give me much of a chance, but I really do want to know if you're okay."

"I'm fine," Danny said attempting to stand, "but this thing with us changing places has got to stop."

"What?" Steve said helping him to his feet.

Danny sighed. "I just did something _really stupid_," he said emphasizing the last two words with his hands.

"Yeah, you did." Steve was unsure how Danny ended up in such a precarious situation, but he had to agree it was stupid; however it happened.

"And you," Danny said pointing to Steve, "did something amazing. You used your words. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks…I think." Steve was questioning whether or not that was actually a compliment.

"It's moments like this that I realize why I try and help you." Danny clapped his partner on the shoulder and began walking away. "Oh," he said turning back, "I almost forgot…book 'em…Steve-O. Hey, I kind of like that!"

"Don't even," Steve warned.

"Don't worry it will grow on you," Danny assured him with a big smile.

And with that he walked away.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nolan Tarella was relieved to see his brother alive. Before Nick was taken away, in the police vehicle, he and his brother were able to have a minute together. Steve and Danny observed the two brothers embrace each other from where they stood a short distance away.

"I'm glad things worked out with you and Nate," Danny said quietly. "It's important that brothers stick together."

Steve glanced at his partner knowingly. He felt sure Danny's mind lingered on his brother Matt and the loss he felt because of their estranged relationship.

"I think I need to see Grace tonight," Danny said, his words catching in his throat. I'm gonna go call Rachel while I check on my car."

Danny pulled out his phone as he walked away and had a brief conversation with his ex-wife, while the fire department finished shutting off the water to the broken hydrant. Surprisingly, Rachel had no problem with him taking Grace for the night, but before he could be with his daughter he had to deal with his car.

He stood with his arms crossed and a pained expression on his face as he surveyed the damage.

_Nothing this bad ever happens in Jersey_, he thought. "Who am I kidding?" he snorted. "It would get car jacked."Steve walked up next to him and looked at the wreck. "I've lost two cars in less than two weeks," Danny continued, more to himself than his partner. "I hate to think how this is going to affect my insurance?"

"Maybe it's time to get yourself an armored vehicle," Steve joked.

"_Please_, don't joke with me right now."

"Maybe it can be fixed."

With both arms spread wide Danny exclaimed, "Are we looking at the same car? It's beyond repair!"

"Maybe Nate can take a look at it," Steve suggested.

Danny's eyes seemed to brighten at the thought. "He's really good with cars, isn't he?" he asked.

_He's not a miracle worker,_ Steve thought, but remaining optimistic for Danny's sake, he replied, "Yeah, I'm sure he won't mind looking at it. I'll give him a call." Nate answered after two rings and Steve explained the situation to him. Ending the call, he told Danny, "Nate will be here in five minutes."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve met Nate at the police barricade that was still in place until the rest of the street could be cleared of the water, glass and other debris.

"Hey," Steve greeted his brother. "I didn't take you away from anything important did I?"

"No, I was just on my way home," Nate replied as they walked toward the Camaro.

Nate still referred to the house he lived in for only the first seven years of his life as "home". Steve liked that. He realized with Nate here it felt more like the home he remembered and he did not want to lose that. He thought back to Danny's earlier comment about brothers needing to "stick together". He was not sure how long Nate would be in Hawaii, but he hoped it would be for a long time.

"Are you going to be home tonight?" Steve asked. "Natalie is spending the night. I know she would like it if you were there."

"I'm going out, actually, sorry."

Steve noticed Nate seemed distracted. He realized his brother had been like this for the past couple of days. "Is everything okay?" Steve questioned him.

"Sure, why?"

"I don't know, you've been kind of quiet the past two days and I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine. I've been busy with some stuff that's all."

"Alright," Steve said, nodding his head. "Well, see if you can help Danny out with his car. I have a few things to finish up."

Nate watched as Steve walked away. He felt a stab of guilt about the "stuff" he had been busy with. However, he did not have much time to dwell on it as Danny saw him and called him over to his car. Nate hardly needed to walk closer to tell that Danny's Camaro was totaled.

"What do you think?" Danny asked hopefully, searching the younger man's face for an answer.

"Give me a couple of minutes."

Nate began to inspect the car, walking from one side to the other, while Danny followed close behind. Perhaps he followed a little too closely because he bumped into Nate, who stopped abruptly to look at something.

"Sorry," Danny apologized. "I'll just go stand over there." He pointed with his thumb to where Steve and Chin were discussing something a short distance away.

Nate nodded his head and smiled slightly as Danny walked away. He knelt down to get a better look at the front of the car. It was worse than he thought.

"So, what are we looking at?" said a pleasant voice from beside him.

Nate looked up to see Kono standing with her hands on her hips, smiling down at him. He returned her smile and said, "A mess. It's not worth fixing."

"That's too bad. I kind of thought that would be the case." They were silent for a few moments while Nate checked out a few more things. Kono finally continued, "So, are we still on for tonight?"

"Yeah, we should probably check with Chin and Danny to make sure they're still up for it after your adventure here this afternoon."

"Adventure?" she laughed. "This is a normal day on the job for us. Your brother has a way of making life _interesting_."

Nate stood up and wiped his hands off. "Sounds dangerous."

"Sometimes."

Danny made his way back over to the car with Steve and Chin trailing behind him. "Well?" he asked.

"I'll take care of it for you," Nate offered.

"Really? You can do something?"

"Yeah," Nate assured him and Kono threw him an amused look. "Until then, what would you like to drive?"

"What would I like to drive?"

"I can get you anything from a bicycle to a Ferrari."

Danny's eye widened. "Wow!" He had the look of a little boy on Christmas morning. "How about you surprise me. Uh, just one request."

"Anything."

"Make sure it's not a purple mini van with flowers on it."

Nate was confused by the request, but grinned. "Something sporty then?"

"That's good. That's more than good. That's excellent. That's-"

"Enough, Danny," Steve interjected.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

After returning to headquarters and finishing up some paperwork, Steve was finally on his way to the Reilly's to pick up Natalie. Kono had driven Danny to pick up Grace, and Chin said he would make sure everything else was taken care of.

Steve decided to call Alex on the way. He used the voice command feature on his phone and said, "Call Alex Reilly."

The voice replied back, "No match found."

"What? Oh, right," he smirked. Being the efficient person he was, he programmed her name into his phone as "Alex McGarrett". Why bother changing it after they were married when he could do it before. "Alex McGarrett," he said smiling. He liked the sound of that.

"Hello," Alex answered.

"Why so formal?" Steve asked.

"Two of my sisters are here," she whispered into the phone. "If they knew it was you calling we wouldn't get anything done for the next hour because all they would want to do is talk about you…me…and the wedding."

"I was actually thinking we need to talk about the wedding. What do you think about this Sunday?"

"To talk about it?" she wondered.

"No, to have it."

She did not respond.

"Alex?" Steve said. "Are you there?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"Not really."

"I'm coming back on Sunday and I'm going to be dead tired. I think I might like to be a bit more _responsive_ on our wedding day."

"I guess I'd like that, too."

"I bet you would." She paused for a few seconds and he heard one of her sisters ask what she wanted to do about a rocking chair. "I'm sorry, but I really have to go. We're in the midst of trying to figure out what I should keep and what I should get rid of. It's mind boggling. I have so much to do and I want to be at work by seven in the morning, so I can wrap up a few things. I'll call you later, okay."

"I'll be waiting."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve was not really sure what to expect when he arrived at the Reilly's. He wondered how Natalie would react to his unavoidable broken promise. He stepped out of his truck and began walking toward the house, but saw no trace of the rambunctious little girl coming to meet him. Henri met him at the door, which Steve thought was probably not a good sign.

"Did everything work out okay with your situation?" Henri asked.

"Yeah, on my end everything worked out fine," Steve replied. "How upset is Natty?"

Henri grinned. "She was determined to sit on the front steps of the school and wait for you to get there. It took me five minutes to talk her into coming with me instead."

"Sounds like my day. Any words of wisdom before I go in?"

"Be firm, but understanding."

Steve nodded and followed Henri inside. He found Natalie in the living room sitting on the couch watching a movie.

"Hey," he said.

She did not respond.

"Natalie?"

The little girl did not acknowledge him. This silent treatment was new to him. He was not sure how to work something out when the other person would not respond.

Crossing in front of the television, he sat down next to her and slouched so he could be at her eye level. He glanced at her and then at the television, wondering what was playing.

"What are we watching?" he asked. When she did not respond, he sat quietly for a few minutes, taking in the animated scene that played out on the screen. Some girl with extremely long, golden hair had a male hostage tied to a chair and she hit him with a frying pan. He looked at Natalie, then at the screen and then back again. "Are you allowed to watch this?"

Silence.

Steve saw the remote sitting on the couch to Natalie's left. He reached in front of her and grabbed it, hitting the stop button.

"Hey!" Natalie shouted.

"You _can_ talk," Steve said.

"Put it back on!" she said as she tried to snatch the remote out of his hand.

He held it up and away from her. "It's rude not to respond to someone when they're talking to you."

Scowling, Natalie turned away and folded her arms across her chest.

"I came by to take you home with me tonight because that was the plan. But if you're going to be this way I'm going home without you."

Natalie followed Steve with her eyes as he stood up and walked out of the room. She listened as the front door opened and closed. Jumping up, she ran for the door. As the little girl came into the hall she froze. There Steve waited with his arms crossed and a look that said "gotcha".

Natalie mirrored his posture, but her expression said she was very unhappy with his charade.

"You have something you wanna say to me?" Steve asked.

Natalie looked at the floor and mumbled something unintelligible.

"What was that?"

"I don't…" she trailed off, sliding her hands behind her back.

"You don't what?" he questioned, inclining his head toward her.

"I don't want you to leave without me!" she quickly repeated in a loud voice.

"Come here," he said as he knelt down.

Natalie shuffled forward with her head bowed.

He placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head upward. "I'm sorry I couldn't pick you up. I know I promised, but someone wasn't safe and they needed my help. Can you understand that?"

"That's what papa said," she sniffed. "But…"

"But what?"

She did not answer at first, but wiped her eyes. "I was afraid you left me because you didn't want me anymore." As she replied tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Steve pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair. "Sweetheart, I would never leave you. I'll always want you." He lifted her off the floor and rose to his feet. "I love you, Natty."

"I love you more, Daddy," she whimpered.

"No, I'm sure I love you more," he teased, resting his forehead against hers.

"Nuh uh," she squeaked.

"Uh huh."

"I love you times infinity. You can't beat that!"

"I guess I can't," he grinned. "Can we go home now?"

"Yes!" she agreed. "We can go _home_."

**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. Can YOU guess what movie Natalie was watching? Thank you for reading and reviewing. And for all the story alerts and adding this as your favorite story. You're all so wonderful.**


	3. Battleship, Bubble Bath and Bedtime

**Chapter 3**

"**Battleship, Bubble Bath and Bedtime"**

Chin was a very observant man and no matter what his cousin Kono said, he knew she liked Nate McGarrett. When Danny opted to forego the plans they all had for dinner that night to be with Grace, Chin decided he might be a little sneaky… just this once.

He arranged to finish up the paperwork on the Tarella case, so Steve and Danny could get out of the office to pick up their respective eight year old girls. His generous offer would prevent him from leaving with Kono and Nate as planned, but it would allow his cousin to spend some time alone with the youngest McGarrett.

"Hey, coz," Kono said, standing in the doorway to his office. "Are you ready? Nate's here."

Chin looked up from his stack of papers. "Ah…you know what, I'm going to be stuck here for about another hour."

"We can wait," Nate said from behind Kono.

She rolled her eyes.

Chin saw his cousin's eye movement and added, "Why don't you guys go on without me and I'll catch up with you. Kono, you can take Nate to get some shave ice. I'm sure a certain friend of ours would love to meet him."

Kono turned, looking up at Nate and asked hopefully, "Is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Nate replied. Kono lost herself for a moment in his blue eyes until he continued, "But it's really not a problem to wait."

She turned away frustrated, not fully understanding why she felt that way, but Chin saved the day.

"No, really, go enjoy yourselves, there's no sense in the two of you sticking around here," he said. "I'll be there before you know it."

"Okay," Nate replied.

"Great," Kono agreed. _You don't have to tell me twice,_ she thought.

Smiling to himself, Chin leaned back in his chair and watched them leave, discussing whose car they were going to take. No one would suspect Chin Ho Kelly of playing matchmaker, but then his father always said, "It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

After the day Steve endured, making dinner was not an option. Natalie was more than thrilled when he suggested getting a pizza. He asked if she liked pineapple and she informed him that she did like it.

While they ate their pizza and played _Battleship_, Steve noticed Natalie's plate held a small collection of the sweet yellow fruit.

"I thought you liked pineapple on your pizza," he said.

"I like pineapple," she said chewing on a carrot stick, "but I like to pick it off and eat it when I'm done."

"_Okay_, that's fine," he said as he peered over his _Battleship_ board. "J10."

"Miss…again," she replied with a mouthful of food.

"Are your pieces on the board?" he inquired. "And don't talk with your mouth full."

"Yes."

"Yes, to what?"

"My pieces."

"Then explain to me why I haven't hit one of your ships, yet."

"Daddy, I'm not cheating."

"Let me see your board."

"_No_," she said, putting a protective arm around her board, "that _would_ be cheating." Steve leaned back in his chair frustrated. Natalie saw his look and continued, "Papa and I play this game a lot and he taught me all the tricks. He said you might get mad if I beat you."

"I'm not mad," he grumbled.

"Why do you have that funny face then?" she wondered.

"I think we need to do something else," he suggested.

"Can we watch a movie?"

"What movie?"

"The one I was watching earlier."

"The frying pan movie?

"It's called _Tangled_," she informed him, popping the last of her pineapple into her mouth.

"Yeah," he agreed, "let's do that."

"Do we get to have popcorn?"

"We just ate."

"Mommy always makes popcorn when we watch a movie."

"I'll make a little."

"Swimming in butter?" she asked, her eyes wide with delight.

Steve's brow furrowed. "Food should not swim in butter. It's not healthy."

"That's how mommy does it."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not mommy," Steve said irritably, as he cleared the table.

"I noticed."

_Of course she noticed,_ Steve thought. _What doesn't she notice?_

He went into the kitchen and set the dishes into the sink before he started the popcorn. Natalie followed him and watched as he poured the oil in a pot and placed a kernel of corn in it.

He glanced at the little girl. "What?" he asked.

Natalie's face was serious. "Are you missing mommy?"

He drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Earlier in the day when Danny had asked him about Alex he would not talk about it, but he could not ignore Natalie. "Does it show that much?" he asked, leaning up against the counter.

She nodded her head. "You've been a little grouchy, but that's not a bad thing. It means you love her."

Steve was not sure being grouchy was a sign that you loved someone, but to an eight year old he imagined it did. He decided he needed a few minutes to himself. "You know what, why don't you go and have a shower before the movie."

"I don't have showers. I take baths."

"Okay, go do that." Natalie opened her mouth to protest, but Steve held his hand up to stop her. "I'll show you how it works and get you a towel."

"Fine then," she said reluctantly, "but do you have any bubble bath?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Kono hardly believed her good luck. Here she was alone with Nate. She almost thought Chin arranged this one on one time purposely, but she knew better. He would never do something like that. Not even for her. Right?

They arrived at Wailoa Shave Ice and parked Nate's silver Corvette on the street.

"Kamekona is a funny guy I'm sure you'll like him," Kono remarked to Nate, upon exiting the car.

He smiled in reply as they walked up to the window and were met by a rather large Hawaiian man.

"Hey, Kamekona," she said, flashing him a bright smile.

"Kono, where have you been?" he greeted her. "I haven't seen you in awhile. I thought you forgot about me." He looked at Nate. "Is this haole with you?"

"Yes, he is."

Kamekona leaned over the counter toward her. "Is this a date? Because I can fix you up with my new shave ice flavor, _passion fruit_," he said wiggling his left eyebrow up and down.

Kono laughed nervously. "No, no he's just a friend."

"Are you sure? I feel like I've seen him with you before."

"You've seen me with his brother."

"He has a twin?" Kamekona asked. "Are you cheating on him?" he said pointing to Nate, "or his twin?"

"No, this is Steve's _younger_ brother."

"I didn't know McGarrett had a brother. Wait! You're cheating on McGarrett with his brother. _You've got_ _guts_."

Kono rolled her eyes. "I'm not cheating on anyone because I'm not dating _anyone_."

"So wait," Kamekona said, "who is he again?"

Kono sighed in frustration, but Nate rescued her by making the introduction himself. "I'm Nate McGarrett. Steve is my brother."

Kamekona looked him over. "And who are _you_ dating?"

"Um…no one," Nate answered.

"Problem solved. You two were made for each other. And I brought you together. Free shave ice for the happy couple."

Kono hoped her embarrassment did not show. She glanced at Nate to see his reaction, but he seemed unfazed. She wondered if anything or anyone ever got under his skin.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The aroma of Mrs. Williams' famous spaghetti sauce filled Danny's small apartment. Considering the events of the day, he had been ambitious and made his mother's sauce and meatballs. In his mind, there was nothing better than a homemade meal and your daughter sitting across the table from you to make things right.

Danny smiled as Grace attempted to twirl her spaghetti on her fork and bring it to her mouth. Half of the pasta fell back onto her plate and what did not make it into her mouth she was now wearing on her face.

"Hey, Monkey," Danny said, as he munched on a crunchy piece of garlic bread, "you have sauce on your chin." She attempted to wipe it off, but only succeeded in smearing it onto her cheek as well. "Here let me help you," he said.

Grace gave him a toothy grin as he wiped off the sauce. "Thanks, Danno."

"You're very welcome, Grace."

Danny sat back in his chair and watched as his daughter continued eating her dinner. He let out a deep contented sigh as a smile spread across his face.

Grace glanced up at him. "Daddy, are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

She shrugged as she tore apart her garlic bread and soaked up the remaining sauce on her plate. "Well, you keep hugging me and smiling at me. You're not sick or something are you?"

"Can't a father hug and smile at his daughter?"

"Yeah, but you're doing it a lot."

"That's just because…I love you."

She smiled. "I love you, too, Danno."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve lay on his bed with his arms folded across his chest as he listened to Natalie sing while she took her bath. He did not know the song, but he thought she had a nice voice.

Closing his eyes, he decided to give her a few more minutes before he interrupted her concert and told her it was time to get out of the tub.

His thoughts wandered to Alex. He wondered why she had not called yet. It was late in Virginia and by now she must be asleep. He toyed with the idea of calling her, but the thought was interrupted when his phone rang. It was his sister, Mary.

Steve sat up instantly and answered the phone, "Is everything alright?" he asked with concern.

"What is wrong with our family?" Mary replied, an edge in her voice. "Can't you say 'hello' or 'hey' and then ask me how I'm doing?"

Steve was relieved to hear the sarcasm in her voice. It meant she was okay. "I'm sorry, but you rarely call," Steve said, leaning forward and resting his left hand on his thigh.

"Well, you don't call either," she shot back. "We would probably win the award for the worst family ever."

"Aren't you exaggerating a little?"

"Whatever," she said rudely. "Look, the reason I'm calling you is…I need to know something."

"What is it you need to know?"

He heard her sigh into the phone. "This _man_ left a message on my phone yesterday, claiming to be my little brother. It sounded like you, but I wasn't sure. I just wanted to know if it was you pulling a prank on me. Remember, like you used to when we were kids."

Steve laughed, reminiscing about how fun it was to pull pranks on Mary. "I didn't call you," he assured her. "That _man _you're talking about is probably Nate. He's here in Hawaii."

"What? And you're just telling me this now."

"I didn't know it was my responsibility to tell you when people drop in."

"I'm annoyed with you right now." She paused for a few moments. "So, do you think I should call him back?"

"Why wouldn't you call him back?"

"Um, I don't know," she said in a loud voice, "maybe it's a little weird because I haven't talked to him since…okay, the fact that I didn't expect a man's voice to belong to my little brother should tell you the last time I spoke to him. Weren't you there during our childhood? I pretended he didn't exist." She sighed deeply. "And, yet, he was always so nice to me."

"I think you should call him," Steve advised her.

"Daddy!" Natalie called from the bathroom. "What do you think of my song?"

"It's beautiful, sweetheart," he yelled back. "Are you done, yet?"

"No," she said and went back to her singing.

"What the heck was that?" Mary blurted out. "Who are you talking to?"

"Oh, that's Natalie," Steve told her.

"Like I know who Natalie is," she snapped at him.

"Natalie is an eight year old girl who belongs to Alex…my fiancé," he finished sheepishly. He pulled the phone away from his ear as his sister yelled something unintelligible.

"Wait," she laughed, after she collected herself, "this is a joke, right? You're not really getting married." When he did not respond, she added, "Are you?"

"I am."

"Oh, my, gosh, when did this happen? Where did this woman come from?"

"It's a long story, but I've known her for a long time."

"You never mentioned her to me when I was there."

"It's a long and _complicated _story," Steve said.

"Well, I have plenty of time to listen," she informed him.

That's when Steve realized he no longer heard Natalie singing. In fact, he heard nothing.

"Hey, Mary, I have to go," Steve said.

"Oh, sure you do. Our conversation was just getting interesting. I guess I'll have to come meet this woman for myself."

"No!" Steve said. His answer came out a little stronger than he intended.

"Why not?"

Steve looked over at the bathroom door anxiously. "Mary, I have to go. You can come to the wedding, but not before."

He ended the call before he heard Mary reply, "We'll see about that."

Standing up, Steve walked to the bathroom door and knocked. "Natty? Are you okay in there?" he asked. When no reply came he knocked again and called louder, "Natalie, are you alright?"

There was still no answer.

He held his breath and listened intently. No sound. He was going in. "Natalie," he yelled. "I'm coming in!" Bursting through the door, he heard a splash of water and saw Natalie's soaking wet head pop up from inside the tub.

"I'm Santa Claus!" she exclaimed.

Steve braced himself against the sink, allowing his pounding heart to return to its normal rhythm. "_You're_ in trouble."

There Natalie sat in the tub, her hair slicked back from the water; wearing her bathing suit, goggles and a shaving cream beard.

"What did I do?" she cried innocently.

Steve took several deep breaths before answering. "Get. Out. Of. The tub."

"But-"

"Now," he ordered in a firm tone.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"I'm sorry about that," Kono said, taking a bite of her grape flavored ice.

"Don't worry about it," Nate replied. "Like you said, he's a funny guy."

Kono wondered if Nate thought Kamekona was funny because he said she and Nate were made for each other or if Nate really meant he was humorous.

"So, what are you doing about Danny's car?" she wondered.

"It's going to take a few days," Nate answered, picking at his ice, "but I'm going to get him a new one."

"Really? You can do that?"

"Getting people cars is what I do and Danny's a nice guy who's been really unfortunate in the past two weeks."

"That's really nice of you," Kono said with admiration. "What kind of car are you going to get him to drive in the meantime?"

"That's a surprise, but if you, Chin and Danny are free tomorrow night for dinner you can see what kind of car I picked out."

"You're going to make me wait?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I have it all planned out, but you'll want to dress up for the occasion. For a car like this you want to go somewhere fancy to show it off."

"Sounds like fun."

"What sounds like fun?" Chin questioned, coming up to them.

_Drat_! Kono thought. "Hey," she greeted him. "Nate is going to unveil the car he is loaning Danny tomorrow night. Are you free for dinner?"

"Sure, I'm free," Chin replied. "Where are we going?"

"There's a certain French restaurant that I've been to on occasion," Nate answered. "I think it's the perfect place."

"Is it the one on the water with the fountain in the courtyard?" Kono asked hopefully.

"That's the one," Nate confirmed.

"I've wanted to go there for so long, but it's so…" she stopped not wanting to explain further.

"It will be my gift to the three of you for taking such good care of my brother," Nate announced.

Chin smiled. "Thanks, Nate, but it goes both ways. He takes good care of us, too."

"Hey, brah," Kamekona called to Chin. "How've you been? Where've you been?"

"Busy," Chin replied.

"Too busy for me? I haven't seen Jersey boy or McGarrett here in a while either."

"Well, they have been pretty busy, too" Kono replied. "We just finished up a big case and Steve is engaged."

"Engaged in what?"

"Um…engaged as in he's getting married."

"Married? McGarrett? How come I haven't met this woman, yet?"

"She's actually away at the moment," Chin added.

"Well, I guess McGarrett knows better because after she sees this," Kamekona boasted, placing his hands on his chest, "he will pale in comparison."

Nate coughed, presumably choking on his shave ice and Kono nearly spewed her ice all over him.

Chin raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm sure you'll get to show off your wares when she gets back. I'll tell Steve you'd like to meet his fiancé."

"I can provide shave ice for his wedding. Tell him to give me a call and I'll give him a deal. Better yet, have him bring by the _mystery_ woman so we can get to know each other," he smiled widely.

"I'll let Steve know you said that," Chin assured him as the big man ambled back to his business.

"Steve better watch out," Nate smirked. "It looks like he has some competition." The three shared a laugh.

A few moments later Nate's phone rang and after looking at the caller he ignored it. Kono noticed a veil fall over his bright blue eyes, blocking out the merriment that had been there only seconds before. He withdrew into himself and to her disappointment he seemed distracted and distant for the rest of the evening.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve was having a hard time believing anyone could survive being hit in the head with an iron frying pan, not once, but twice. Natalie seemed to think it was funny; perhaps he was too much of realist to understand the humor in it.

When the movie ended and he announced it was time for bed, she said she needed to wash off her buttery fingers. Then she asked for a glass of water. In between small sips, she gave him a commentary on the movie, which would have lasted until midnight if he had not intervened.

When it was time to go upstairs, Natalie decided to close her eyes and find her way to and up the stairs without seeing where she was going. Steve's patience was dwindling and he almost lost it when she took too many purposeful wrong turns and began heading back toward the kitchen.

"Natalie, up the stairs, _now_," he said firmly. She scurried up the stairs while he followed close behind.

Steve now leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom with his arms crossed, watching Natalie balance on a stool as she brushed her teeth. She looked at him in the mirror giving him a big foamy grin before she started to hum one of the songs from the movie. He was beginning to get the idea she did not want to go to bed.

"I think your teeth are clean enough," he told her.

Her response was lost in a mouthful of toothpaste bubbles.

"Natalie, spit and rinse, _now_," Steve ordered.

There was something in the tone of his voice when he said "now" that made her respond quickly. "Do you have any floss?" she asked.

"You're done for tonight."

"But I have to go to the bathroom."

"You have thirty seconds."

"I can't finish in thirty seconds. I have to wash my hands."

He looked at his watch. "You've used up five seconds arguing, you now have twenty-five."

She closed the door in one swift motion. Twenty-five seconds later, she opened it and came flying out of the bathroom and jumped onto his bed, wrapping herself in the blankets.

"This is my bed," Steve said. "Your bed is in the other room."

"I want to sleep here."

"I have my sister Mary's room fixed up for you."

Natalie pulled the covers over her head as he stepped toward the bed.

"Don't do this with me," Steve warned. He threw back the covers, but Natalie squealed and scooted toward the end of the mattress. This time he ripped the blankets completely off the bed. "Natalie Marie, get out of that bed!"

The use of her middle name along with her full first name caused her to snap to attention. "Daddy, I just got here," she whined. "I don't want to go to bed."

"You have school tomorrow, move it."

She stood up on the bed and held her arms out to him in surrender. "Will you carry me?" she asked with sad eyes and a little sniffle.

Steve was not sure it was wise to reward such behavior, but he gave into her nonetheless. He lifted up the small girl in his arms and brought her into Mary's room.

"Can we call mommy?" Natalie yawned as he tucked her in.

"No, I'm sure she's already asleep," he said with a measure of disappointment in his voice.

Natalie rubbed her eyes. "Will you sing to me?"

"Sing to you?"

"Mommy said you have a nice voice. And mommy always sings to me-"

He held up his hand. "I get the idea. What do I sing?"

"Whatever your mommy sang to you," she said, her sweet voice fading toward sleep.

He pushed her hair back from her face and stroked her cheek. She murmured something before her heavy eyelids closed. "Goodnight, Natty," he whispered as he kissed her forehead. "I love you."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Alex was feeling overwhelmed. Two days had come and gone and there was still so much to accomplish. She walked up the stairs to her room, her footsteps heavy with exhaustion. Collapsing on the bed, she looked at the cardboard boxes cluttering her room; some that were taped and labeled others half filled.

Alex glanced at the clock; it was almost three AM that would make it a little before nine PM in Hawaii. She realized she had not yet called Steve. He said he would be waiting.

Picking up her phone she selected his number and waited for him to answer.

"Hey," he said in a tired sounding voice. "I've been waiting for you, but shouldn't you be sleeping?"

She sighed. "I just fell into bed."

"At least we can be in bed together," he responded.

She could hear the smile in his voice and she rolled her eyes. "Is that all you think about?"

"It's been on my mind lately."

"How was your evening with Natty?"

"It was exhausting, but nice," he confessed. "What are you wearing?"

"What?"

"You heard me. What are you wearing?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I definitely want to know now," he said with enthusiasm.

She ran a hand through her hair. "You might be disappointed."

"Try me."

"It's _blue_ and _soft_ and _silky_," she lied, looking down at her gray t-shirt and shorts. She heard him whistle quietly.

"I'm not going to be able to go to sleep now," he confessed.

"You're ridiculous," she chuckled. "I miss you."

"I'm sure I miss you more," he assured her.

"Of course you do," she yawned. "Well, seven o'clock will be here very soon. I should go."

"Alex…" he stopped, unable to continue.

She smiled knowing what he could not say. "I love you, too, Steve. Goodnight."

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you to all the readers and reviewers.**


	4. It's Called Being a Father

**Chapter 4**

"**It's Called Being a Father"**

_Steve would never get used to that sound. He opened his eyes to see the little figure of his brother tossing and turning in the soft glow of the nightlight. The sound came again; the mournful whisperings of Nate murmuring, "Mommy."_

_Steve knew no one else would come to comfort Nate. In fact, he was not even sure that anyone else knew this happened each night. If his father had knowledge of it he never made any attempt to be there for his son. Steve felt Nate was his responsibility now. In the last two weeks, the McGarrett children had not only lost their mother, but their father as well._

_Steve pushed aside his blankets and did what had become a nightly routine. He knelt down next to Nate's bed and brushed his brother's sweat covered hair with his fingers._

"_It's okay, Jamie," he said, using his mother's nickname for his brother. "Wake up, buddy."_

_Nate's eyes flashed open and he stared wide eyed at his older brother. "Where's mommy?" he said, repeating the same question he asked every night._

"_You know where she is."_

_Nate sat up, his tears spilling out onto his flushed cheeks. "I want mommy."_

"_She's gone, Nate," Steve said. What else could he say?_

"_Why?" Nate asked. This question was new._

"_I-I don't know," Steve answered._

"_Where's daddy?"_

Steve woke with a start. He could not figure out why Nate was crying. He was twenty-five years old, not seven; he should be past the point of crying for their mother by now. Steve had been for a long time.

He heard another cry, but this one was different. It called for "daddy". _What the hell is wrong with me?_ Steve thought. _Natalie's crying, not Nate._

He sprang out of bed and rushed into the hallway, only to collide with Nate, who had heard the distress call as well.

"Daddy, where are you?" Natalie cried.

The brothers untangled themselves and Nate stepped aside allowing Steve to enter their sister's old room.

"Natty, I'm right here," Steve assured her.

"Don't let him take me," she pleaded. The little girl was thrashing about and Steve was not sure if she was awake or asleep. "Daddy!" she screamed.

He knelt down next to her bed and ran a soothing hand through her hair. "Shh, it's okay, Natty, I'm right here."

After a few moments, her eyes fluttered open in response and she cried out, "Daddy!"

Steve gathered her up in his arms and lifted her off the bed. This scenario was familiar to him, except this time he was the "daddy", not the big brother trying to offer comfort.

"Daddy, don't let him take me," she sobbed, "He's coming to get me and he's gonna take me away."

Steve knew she referred to her biological father, Paul Keller, who had been arrested and was now in the hospital recovering from the injuries he sustained during his apprehension.

He looked up and saw Nate standing in the doorway. By the strained expression Nate wore, it was almost as if he was the one having the bad dream.

"Don't let him take me," Natalie repeated.

With his eyes still resting on his brother, Steve quietly spoke a promise to the little girl, "I'm not going to let that happen, sweetheart. I swear to God I won't."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The peaceful sounds of morning falsely lured Steve into the sense it was earlier than the time registering on the clock. He had spent several hours during the night by Natalie's bedside trying to lull her to sleep. Nate even brought up their mother's rocking chair that had been stored away for years, so Steve could rock her. She had finally fallen asleep, but more from exhaustion than their efforts.

Steve did not want to move for at least another hour and he made his mind up that if anyone dared to bother him, he was not going to be pleasant; unless, of course, it was Natalie.

Nate was stuck with the task of waking "the beast". He entered his brother's room. The sight before his eyes caused him to stop abruptly and an amused smile touched his lips.

Steve lay on the edge of the bed, his right arm hanging off the side and his left arm cast above his head. Natalie took up the rest of the mattress. She lay at a forty-five degree angle from Steve, with her head at the side of the bed. One of her feet rested on his pillow and the other sat on his chest, nearly touching his chin.

Nate could not resist taking a picture of the two of them. He felt like he was playing the game _Don't Wake Daddy_, while he did something mischievous.

"Hey, Steve," he called. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Go away," came Steve's gruff reply. He turned his face slightly to the left, only to run into Natalie's foot. His eyes flew open as he blurted out, "This whole time I thought that was her hand." Steve raised his head to look at Natalie. "How can a kid so small take up so much room?"

Nate smirked. "I thought she fell asleep in her bed. How did she end up in here?"

"I don't know," Steve said running a hand over his face. "I was too tired to care."

"Well, you two are going to be late," Nate answered. "It's after seven thirty."

"What!" Steve exclaimed, glancing at his clock. "You," he pointed to Nate. "Go make breakfast." Then he turned his attention to the still sleeping eight year old. "Natty, wake up," he said, gently shaking her shoulder.

She swatted at the air trying to shoo him away.

"Hey, we have to pick up Grace and Danny this morning, let's go," he said, grabbing his clothes and disappearing into the bathroom. Five minutes later he rushed out fully dressed and saw that she was no longer in the room. _Good, _he thought, _she's getting ready._

He soon found out that just the opposite was true when he passed by her room and saw her sprawled out on the bed. Shaking his head, he walked in and sat down next to her, pulling her onto his lap. She flopped her head against his chest.

"Listen, we both had a rough night, but I need you to be a big girl and get ready for school," he said. "Okay?"

"I'm tired," she yawned.

"So am I, but we have a job to do. You can take a nap later."

Natalie exhaled loudly and slid off his lap. "Can I stay home with Uncle N-"

"Stop. You need to go to school."

"Yes, Daddy," she said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

He kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie came down the stairs for the third time after being sent back up two times previously for failing to comply with the dress code. The first time, she still wore her pajamas and asked for a drink of water. The second time, she wore her pajama bottoms and her school top, minus one sock because she said she was too hungry to finish dressing. Now completely clothed for school, she stood in the kitchen holding her hairbrush.

"Daddy, I can't braid my hair," she said.

"You can't braid your hair?" Steve replied. He looked over at Nate.

"Don't look at me," Nate responded, holding up his hands. "You're the Boy Scout, and I'm making breakfast."

"Come here, Natty," Steve ordered.

"Hey, Natty, what do you want on your toast?" Nate asked.

"I want Papa's Special," she informed him as Steve began to fix her hair.

"What's that?"

"You take sour cream and put it on the toast and then sprinkle sugar on top."

"Sounds good," Nate decided.

"I don't think so," Steve said. "Put peanut butter on it."

"I don't want peanut butter," Natalie whined.

"It's protein. It's good for you."

Nate gave Natalie a sympathetic look. As much as he wanted to comply with the little girl's wishes, he would not overrule his brother and besides there was no sour cream anyway.

"You like lots of protein, Steve?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, sure," he replied absently, focusing on braiding Natalie's hair. She was not cooperating very well. "Hold still," he said irritably.

"Ow," she complained. "_Mommy_ never pulls my hair."

Steve ignored that comment and continued with his task. "Do you have everything you need for school?"

"I can't find my other shoe," she confessed.

"Nate, go find her shoe."

Nate cut the slices of toast in half and grabbed the one he had loaded with peanut butter. "Here's your protein, Commander."

"Wha-" Steve's reply was cut off by the peanut butter laden triangle being shoved into his mouth.

"Enjoy!" Nate said as he left the kitchen on his search for the missing shoe.

"Mmmmmm!" Steve called after him.

Natalie twisted herself to look back at Steve and pulled the piece of toast from his mouth, "What was that, Daddy?"

"Thank you," he said, licking his lips. "Now hold still."

"You're welcome," she said, taking a bite of the toast before shoving it back in his mouth.

He looked at the ceiling in frustration. Seconds later his phone rang. His hands were holding Natalie's hair and his mouth was full. How could he answer the phone? He spit the toast out onto the counter and freed one hand to pull his phone out from his pocket.

"McGarrett," he said, not even looking at the caller.

"Did I call at a bad time?" Alex asked.

"Sorry, I didn't even check to see who was calling."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine."

"Ouch!" Natalie exclaimed.

"Quit moving!" Steve ordered.

"Steve, what are you doing?" Alex wondered.

"I'm braiding Natty's hair."

"Why? She knows how to do that herself."

Steve let go of Natalie's hair and she tried to escape, knowing she had been found out.

"Get back here!" Steve demanded. "I have to call you back, Alex." He tossed his phone on the counter and confronted the little girl. "Why are you giving me such a hard time?"

"Are you mad at me?" she asked.

"What do you think?"

She looked at the floor. "Am I grounded, because if I am that means I don't have to go to school, right?"

"You're not getting off that easy. Tell me why you're acting like this."

"I don't know." The truth was Natalie really did not know why.

"I can't find the shoe," Nate yelled from upstairs.

Steve crossed his arms. "Where's your shoe?"

Natalie looked up at him with a guilt ridden face. "Under your bed."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Alex pulled her phone away from her ear and looked at it, wondering if she needed to do some long distance intervention. She just arrived home from work and was now mulling over the options in her mind. Calling Steve back was not a good idea because he seemed distracted and irritable. She could call Danny, but Steve would not appreciate that. The best option, her only option, was to call her father. He would know what to do.

"Hello, Princess," Henri answered.

"Really, Dad? It's Alex, not Melissa," she said.

"I'm well aware who it is," he chuckled. "How are you, sweetie?"

"I'm fine, but…"

"But what?"

"Um, I'm not so sure about Natalie. Has she been misbehaving and you're not telling me?"

"No. Well, she has been a little out of sorts."

"How so?"

"She seems a little restless and irritable, but no behavior that a firm word can't take care of."

"Hmm, but _you_ know all the ins and outs of raising little girls," she said.

"Are you worried just about Natalie or is Steve included in this?" Henri asked.

"How do you always know what I'm thinking?"

"I'm your father, Alex," he told her. "Natalie did give Steve the silent treatment yesterday when he wasn't able to pick her up from school, but he handled it very well. And I did tell you Steve was going to have his hands full with that girl, remember?"

"Yes, but I don't want him to have to put up with unnecessary behavior. He has enough to deal with on a daily basis just with his job. Natalie is usually an obedient little girl, she's sweet and smart, too, but sometimes she can be a little _too_ smart for her own good."

"Alex, not only do you need to realize that Natalie is also Steve's responsibility now, but that little girl needs to understand that he isn't going to be just the 'fun and games' daddy anymore."

Alex sighed. For some reason this idea had not occurred to her. During the past seven years, she had been the sole "parent" for Natalie and when Steve was there he had been the man who came in, spoiled Natalie and then went home, leaving Alex with the day to day happenings. She did not mind this, it was how it was, but things were changing now and she had to change with it.

"Dad, can you just make sure they don't kill each other," she pleaded.

"For my little girl, anything," her father promised.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

To say Danny and Grace were happy this morning was an understatement. Their father-daughter time had gone extraordinarily well and their bright smiles were proof of that.

Steve's truck pulled up to the curb five minutes late, but Danny hardly noticed his partner's tardiness. Nothing could ruin his good mood this morning.

He opened the door of the vehicle for Grace and called a cheery "good morning" to the two occupants and thought nothing of it when the greetings were not returned. After making sure Grace was properly buckled in, he climbed into the front seat and shut his door. He looked over at Steve, flashing him his million dollar smile, and that's when he noticed his partner's face; his stern, "don't talk to me right now" face. Danny glanced back at Natalie who gave him an "I'm in trouble, watch out" look, and being the great detective and father he was, he figured out the rest.

Returning his attention to Steve, he said quietly, "I was going to ask you how it went last night, but adding any words of explanation to the tension already in this vehicle, might cause an explosion."

Steve merely gave him a side long glance and pulled out onto the road.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"Don't leave me here," Natalie pleaded, grabbing onto Steve's waist.

They were standing on the sidewalk in front of the school as she tried desperately to avoid being left behind. The little girl was making quite a scene.

"Natalie, we have been over this already," Steve said in a firm tone. "I drop you off at school and then I go to work. Papa will be here to pick you up at three."

"I don't want Papa to pick me up," she whined. "I want you!"

Steve ran a hand through his hair. _Why is this so hard?_ he thought.

He heard Danny clear his throat and ask, "Do you mind if I intervene?"

"Please do," Steve replied.

Danny bent down and rested his arms on his knees. The bright morning sun was at Natalie's back and he squinted as he looked up into her light blue eyes. "You know, Natalie, Grace didn't always go to this school, either. We moved here from New Jersey. You know where New Jersey is, right?"

The little girl nodded her head in reply, but held fast to Steve.

"Grace didn't want to go here at first and I wasn't too thrilled about leaving her here, either. I think it's not so much that you don't want to go in there, but you don't want to leave your daddy all by himself. That's the reason we have partners, so we don't have to be alone."

Natalie gave him a skeptical look.

"I have a deal for you," Danny continued. "You be Grace's partner today, so I'll feel better about leaving her at school and I'll be your daddy's partner, so you can feel better about letting him go to work. What do you think about that?"

Natalie looked intently at his face. She decided she liked the crinkles at the corners of his eyes. It meant he smiled a lot. Anyone who worked with her daddy and smiled a lot must be okay. "If it helps you, I can do that."

"It helps me a lot," he replied with a smile.

"Daddy, will I see you later?" Natalie asked, looking up at Steve.

"Yeah, of course," he said, with a look of surprise from her sudden change in attitude.

She let go of him and took a deep breath. "I'm ready for school now."

Danny winked at Grace who took Natalie's hand. The two little girls said goodbye and together they walked up the front steps to the school. Natalie turned back and waved at Steve before disappearing into the building.

"How did you do that?" Steve asked.

Danny just smiled and walked back to the truck.

Steve watched the doors of the school for a few moments, waiting for Natalie to come running out. He was almost a little disappointed when she did not.

Finally, he followed Danny and climbed into the truck. They drove in silence for a couple of minutes, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Not to break up this solemn moment," Danny said, "but you know what we have to do today?"

Steve exhaled, "Yeah."

"Chin and I can go talk to him if you want."

"No, I have to do this," Steve said.

Danny nodded. He knew that would be Steve's answer, but he thought he would at least give him the option to forego questioning Keller about the videos of his meetings with Wo Fat.

They became quiet again and Danny noticed Steve seemed to be thinking about something.

"Is it always this hard?" Steve asked suddenly.

"Is what always this hard?"

"Letting your kid go."

Danny could not help but smile. "It's called being a father, Steven," he said. "It's the best and worst thing you can ever be."

**A/N: The "Papa's Special" in this chapter is actually a tribute to my grandfather. When he was growing up during the Great Depression, he would eat that for breakfast on occasion and he introduced it to his children and grandchildren. It really is good, you should try it sometime.**

**Thank you for your continued interest in this story. I enjoy hearing from you.**


	5. Sorry Doesn't Change Anything

**Chapter 5**

"**Sorry Doesn't Change Anything"**

Steve and Danny stepped out of the elevator onto the freshly waxed floor of the hospital's third level and made their way toward Paul Keller's room.

Steve had been avoiding this interrogation since receiving the videos of Keller's meetings with Wo Fat. The thought of being in the same room as Keller, never mind questioning him, made Steve livid, but he needed to be present; he needed to hear everything for himself.

They turned right at the nurses' station and Danny was nearly flattened with the housekeeper's cleaning cart.

"Oh, pardon me!" she called out in a flustered voice as she maneuvered her cart around them.

Danny gave his partner an incredulous look. "That woman almost ran me over because she was too busy gaping at you!"

"You're seeing things, Danno," Steve replied.

"Yeah, things you obviously don't!"

"Do I need to remind you I'm engaged?"

"What was your excuse before that?"

Steve furrowed his brow and glanced at his partner. "Are you saying I don't notice things?"

Danny ended the conversation with a wave of his hand.

As they approached the ex-CIA agent's room they witnessed an unwelcome sight. "Hey," Danny said, tapping Steve's arm with the back of his hand, "what's Lynch doing coming out of Keller's room?"

Steve's groan, although barely audible, caused Danny some trepidation; he did not want a confrontation to break out between the two men in the hallway of the hospital.

Lynch sauntered up to them. "As much as I'd love to chat, I have places to be and people to harass."

"What are you doing here?" Steve demanded.

"Even if I could tell you, I wouldn't," he smirked. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment and she _won't_ be kept waiting." He walked away without another word.

Danny shook his head in sympathy. "I pity the woman." Steve ignored the comment and turned to enter Keller's room, but Danny stopped him. "Are you sure about going in there?" he asked.

"Yeah," Steve replied, "I'll be fine." Nodding to the police officer on duty he pushed open the door and went in.

Paul Keller sat propped up on his pillows with one wrist handcuffed to the bed railing and the other holding a copy of the _Wall Street Journal_.

Without looking up from his reading material he asked, "Did you find that massage therapist, yet? I can't tell you what sitting in bed all day does to a man's muscles." When no reply came he lifted his head to find the Commander of 5-0 staring down at him with an unyielding expression and his short, less menacing partner looking on. "You're not Dixie," Keller said, and adding with mock concern, he continued, "What did you do with her?"

"What is it with you CIA people and sarcasm?" Danny wondered.

"I never use sarcasm." Keller responded with such a sincere tone that if Danny did not know better he would have believed him. Concentrating on Steve, Keller continued, "Has Seal Man come to torture me for information? I was wondering when you would get around to visiting me." He noticed a large envelope in Steve's hand. "And you brought a card. I'm touched."

"Shut up and listen," Steve ordered. He pulled out a photo from the envelope and showed it to Keller. "What can you tell us about this picture?"

"I seem to have lost my glasses," Keller said, searching his bed with his free hand. "I'm afraid I can't see anything without them."

"Except, of course, the _Wall Street Journal,_" Danny said, gesturing toward the paper resting on the man's lap.

"You're a regular Sherlock Holmes, aren't you?" Keller scowled as he abandoned his search and snatched the photo from Steve's hand. There were two men in the picture, one was him and the other was Wo Fat, but he would never readily admit that to anyone.

"Well?" Steve said, his lack of patience making him testy.

"These two men...are they wanted by the law?"

Steve glanced away to his left for a moment trying to control his anger. "Do you know who's in the picture or not?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I do," Keller confessed, a look of contrition spreading over his face. "And I'm no longer ashamed to admit it. This man here," he said pointing to himself, "that is," he took a dramatic pause, "my…evil twin brother, Saul Keller. You didn't know about him did you?" he finished with a smile.

Steve reacted instantly by lunging forward, with the idea to grab Keller and shake the information out of him, but Danny jumped in between the two men exclaiming, "Whoa! Steve!" Then he added in a more subdued tone, "He is trying to make you angry, you're only fueling his fire if you react like this. He can't get out of bed and _try_ to pulverize you, so he's doing it with his words."

"Is there a problem, gentleman?" Keller asked, unfazed by Steve's reaction.

Steve closed his eyes for a moment, willing back his frustration and ire. He wanted to beat Keller into a bloody pulp, but he knew that would accomplish nothing. He diverted his eyes away from the reason for his anger and looked out the window, trying to focus on why he was there.

Danny turned around to face Keller. With a forced smile and his hands emphasizing his words, he said, "We know that you are in the picture and we know who the other man is. In fact, we have video clips of the two of you conversing on four different occasions. What we _want_ to know is what the hell you were doing with this man, and if you continue with your sarcasm I _will_ unleash my partner and look the other way while he gets the information from you _his_ way."

"So, you're saying you need my help," Keller stated, undisturbed by the threat from the vertically challenged detective.

"If it makes you feel better to put it that way, then, yes."

Keller nodded his head. "I'll tell you what you want to know."

"That's excellent," Danny smiled.

"For a price," Keller proposed, extending his free hand.

"I don't think you are in any position to bargain," Danny informed him.

A sly smile spread across Keller's face. "As long as I have the information you want, I think I am in the perfect position to bargain."

"Okay, what is it you want?" Danny inquired. "A few years shaved off your life sentence?"

"I'm not worried about being in prison for life."

"What do you want?" Steve demanded.

A serious expression covered Keller's face and he spoke without a trace of sarcasm. "I want to see my daughter."

"No way!" Steve answered fiercely. "Not happening, _ever_!"

"Then say goodbye to that information," Keller said coolly, lifting the newspaper to continue his reading.

"I can't believe you would dare ask to see her after what you put her through!" Steve growled as he ripped the newspaper from Keller's hand and threw it across the room.

"I _dare_ because she is _my_ daughter," Keller snarled.

The two men stared vehemently at each other and the tension filling the room electrically charged the air around them. Danny held his breath. He knew if he said anything it might worsen the already volatile situation, but if he said nothing, things would definitely get worse. It was a _risk_ he would have to take.

"I think we're done here," Danny announced. When his partner made no attempt to leave he added, "Steve, let's go."

Just when Steve appeared to be leaving, Keller threw in one last jab. "I hear your _little_ brother is in Hawaii. Make sure you tell him the Islands can be a _dangerous_ place."

Steve snapped. "What did you just say?" he said in a threatening tone.

"You heard me, McGarrett."

"You son of a-"

Steve's words were lost in the sound of the charge nurse storming into the room. "What are you doing to my patient?" she bellowed, shoving her way to the side of Keller's bed to protect him. Her red hair matched her fiery presence. She was not about to put up with any shenanigans on her floor. "I will not tolerate mistreatment of people in my care, no matter who they are or what they have done." Her smoke grey eyes challenged the tall dark haired man with the intense blue eyes.

Jaw and fists clenched, Steve took a deep breath. "Ma'am, you're interrupting a police investigation-"

"_This_ is a hospital room," she said firmly, wagging her finger in his face, "not an interrogation room! I want the two of you out, _now_." Her finger pointed toward the door.

Steve was determined not to be ordered about by the nurse and he stood riveted to the floor.

"Steve, we're done here," Danny insisted. "You're not going to accomplish anything this way."

Steve hated it when Danny was right. He swallowed the intense emotions that were threatening to choke him. He glowered at Keller, promising him, "If anything happens to my brother, you'll be hearing from me."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"I can't believe he's using Natalie to try and get what he wants!" Steve yelled, slamming his fist against the door of his truck, not for the first time. "Why did I even think we were going to get anything out of him!" For a man who usually kept his emotions close to home, this display was like the grand finale of a Fourth of July fireworks production.

Danny remembered how Steve acted when Mary was kidnapped, but this was different. This was a whole new level. Although, Danny understood his partner's need to express his anger, he was beginning to feel unsafe in the passenger's seat with Steve at the wheel.

"_Please_, either drive safely or pull over and finish your tirade," Danny pleaded. "We've already been in one accident this week." Steve silenced himself and gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white and he looked like he was about to explode. Danny put a hand over his face. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea that you went to question Keller."

"What gives you that idea, Sherlock?"

"Hey! You don't need to get nasty with me!" Danny blasted him. "I'm your friend, remember?"

"I didn't ask you to come," Steve fired back.

Danny snorted. "I'm going to ignore that comment because I know you're not your usual cheerful self. And furthermore, I don't think I need to tell you that if you allow your anger to get the best of you it's going to take you on a one way trip down a dark and scary road, and the people you care about won't recognize you as the same Steve McGarrett they know and love."

"Come on, Danny," Steve said, "that guy uses Natalie, his own daughter, as a pawn for his gain. He ruined Alex's life and…" Steve bit back the remainder of his words and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

Danny studied him for a moment, his eyes narrowed in concentration. "What do you mean he ruined Alex's life?" As far as he knew Alex was doing fine. At least that is what Steve had told him and what he had observed the times he himself had been in her company.

Steve flattened himself against the back of his seat and pressed his lips together.

"Steve, what happened?" Danny asked, concern coloring his tone. He knew whatever nightmare had befallen Alex four years ago had scarred the couple deeply, whether or not they would admit it.

Stopping at a traffic light, Steve rubbed his thumb and index finger over his eyes; blinking several times afterward. He focused on the street before him. Taking a left turn, he headed out of the city along a road that paralleled the ocean.

The two friends listened to the rhythm of the vehicle as they sped forward, the miles slipping away under the tires. After twenty minutes, the Silverado came to a stop on a large patch of dirt that hedged the road. Steve cut the engine and climbed out of the truck.

Danny watched his partner cross in front of him and stand facing the sparkling blue water. Opening his door, Danny stepped down and joined him. He waited, knowing Steve would tell him when he was ready. He would finish the story, filling in the details about Alex.

Danny glanced up at the man he trusted with his life. He knew Steve gathered strength from being near the ocean. He wondered sometimes if the SEAL had salt water coursing through his veins. Despite the mood he smiled at that thought.

Sensing that Danny waited for him to answer the question about Alex, Steve drew in a deep breath. "I told you Alex was attacked with a knife," Steve said.

"Yeah, you did," Danny assured him.

"What I didn't tell you was what it did to her." Steve paused and Danny allowed him the time he needed to finish the story. "She can't have kids," he said quietly. "That's why she broke it off with me four years ago."

Danny exhaled, not realizing he was holding his breath. For once Danny Williams had no words. Both men stood in silence, scanning the horizon as they contemplated the idea of no children and what it meant to each of them.

"I know saying 'sorry' doesn't change anything, but I am," Danny offered.

Steve nodded his head in reply. The word "sorry" never really fixed anything. It only bandaged a wound that over time one hoped would heal. But even if Keller himself said that he was genuinely "sorry" for all the damage he had caused, it would be a great feat indeed to overcome the pain and loss he had imposed upon them.

"I can't imagine not having a child with the woman I loved," Danny admitted.

Steve knew he loved Alex and wanted nothing more than to marry her, but he was still wrestling with the inevitable fact of not having a child with her and what it really meant. He had heard what she felt about it and what she imagined he would suffer because she could not give him children, but he was still not sure he would ever fully comprehend what they both had lost.

"Alex's dad is the only one who knows, besides Keller, and some medical records hidden away somewhere," Steve said.

"Her mother doesn't know?" Danny asked in surprise.

Steve looked over at him. "No. Alex said she couldn't tell her, yet."

Danny whistled softly. "That's gonna be a tough one."

"Yeah, and I'm afraid somehow Hannah Reilly will blame it on me," Steve confessed. "She's just starting to like me. I'd hate to go back to square one with her and I don't think Alex could handle that."

Danny nudged Steve with his elbow. "If you need anything…"

"I know where to find you, Danny."

They spent a few more minutes soaking in the sun and listening to the waves crash onto the beach before making their way back to the truck.

Steve's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. "McGarrett," he answered and listened to the person on the other end. "Is she okay? Yeah…alright…I'll be there in twenty minutes." He ended the call, whipped open his door and jumped in.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked, settling into the passenger's seat.

"Natalie's having a meltdown," Steve replied as he started the truck. He made a 180 degree turn and sped down the road. "She's not responding to anyone. All she wants is daddy."

**A/N: It's interesting how chapters turn out. I wasn't sure Steve would tell Danny about Alex and I finally decided that he wouldn't, but then he told me otherwise. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**A special thanks to my dear mother who was a huge help on this chapter. I think it was her that convinced Steve to "open up" and tell Danny about Alex. :)**


	6. Flashlights and Secrets

**Chapter 6**

"**Flashlights and Secrets"**

"I'm not writing that last name!" Natalie cried. "I'm not! I'm not!

"Natalie, no one is going to make you if you don't want to," Mrs. Schofield, the Principal, assured her.

"I want my daddy!" Natalie wailed. She sat on a blue upholstered chair rocking back and forth with her arms clutching her sides.

"He's on his way, honey," the woman said, kneeling next to her. "Please try to calm down."

Natalie could not relax and the sound of her gasping sobs filled the Principal's office.

"Is there anything I can get you, Natalie?" Mrs. Schofield asked.

The little girl looked up into the kind face and replied, "My backpack…I need my backpack."

"I think I can get you that," Mrs. Schofield said as she pushed back her metallic blue framed glasses, which was not out of necessity, but more out of habit.

She stood and walked to the office door and asked her secretary to locate the little girl's backpack. A few minutes later the bag sat on Natalie's lap.

The older woman watched as the little girl furiously sifted through the backpack until she pulled out a small flashlight. Mrs. Schofield noted the object seemed to bring her comfort and she wondered if the man Natalie referred to as "daddy" had given it to her.

She heard a man's voice in the outer office asking for Natalie. The little girl must have heard it as well, for she twisted in the chair and listened intently. Then suddenly, she sprang up and dashed for the open door. The light haired girl and the tall, dark haired man collided in the doorway.

"Hey," Steve said. He felt Natalie trembling as he lifted her into his arms. "It's okay, sweetheart."

"Daddy, tell them that isn't my last name!" Natalie cried as she clung tightly to his neck, her hand still clutching the beloved flashlight.

Steve looked to Mrs. Schofield for an explanation, and his brow furrowed as she described what had happened.

"I'm afraid the teacher did not fully understand the delicate nature of Natalie's legal last name. It seems Natalie was writing 'McGarrett' on her papers instead of…" she mouthed the name "Keller".

Steve nodded, understanding the situation, but seemed uncertain how he should proceed.

"I would suggest," Mrs. Schofield began, "that Natalie go home for the day. Of course, it's entirely up to you, but in light of her emotional state I think that would be a wise decision."

"Thank you, ma'am," Steve replied. "I think so, too,"

"Would you mind if I gave you a call later this afternoon, so we can discuss a few things, or if you would rather, I could call Miss Reilly."

"No, call me," Steve insisted.

"Alright then," she said, handing Steve the little girl's backpack. "Take care, Natalie, I hope we will see you tomorrow."

Steve carried Natalie into the outer office, where Danny was waiting, and without a word they made their way outside to the truck.

As they pulled out onto the road, Danny said in a low voice, "She looks shell shocked."

Steve adjusted his rear view mirror downward, so he could catch a glimpse of the little girl. Her eyes held a vacant, wide-eyed stare. She had not spoken a word since they walked out of Mrs. Schofield's office. "The Reillys aren't home this afternoon," Steve said. "I have to bring her to the office for a while until I can figure something out."

"That could be interesting," Danny answered. "I hope she has some markers or crayons in her backpack."

"Either that or she can help you shred paper."

"How exciting is that," Danny replied with a smile. "Don't forget about lunch."

"I'll order something when we get back to the office."

Danny shifted in his seat to check on Natalie. "Uh, Steve, I think she's asleep."

Steve glanced in his mirror again. Sure enough, her eyes were closed and her head rested against the back of the seat. "That was fast, but then she was up half the night crying."

"So, I take it you were both up crying," Danny joked.

"Funny. You know, I can handle staying up all night on a stake out or when I would go out on a mission, but an all-nighter with a little girl crying…" Steve sighed and looked quickly out his side window. "She had a nightmare about her father coming to take her away. I think that's what brought all this on."

Danny noticed his partner's jaw and neck muscles tensing. He knew Steve was restraining his anger because Natalie was in the backseat and he did not want to cause her anymore distress. "Hey, are you gonna be okay?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, I'm gonna be fine, but look at Natalie. Should a little girl need to live in fear of her father for the rest of her life?" He shook his head in disgust. "How could Keller think I would ever let him see her?"

"Well, I don't think he necessarily asked to make you upset, I think he genuinely wants to see her."

"There is no way in hell that is ever going to happen," Steve fumed. "I'll never let him see her."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Alex was sick of the smell of packing tape and cardboard boxes and the head numbing dilemma of deciding what to take with her to Hawaii. She had made out a list of items she needed to ask Steve about, but every time she went to call him something else claimed her attention and the list flew from her mind.

She sat on her bedroom floor going through a pile of clothes while her oldest sister, Abby, went through the closet.

"Alex, where did you get this?" her sister asked, taking out a navy blue chiffon gown. The intricate beading on the bodice shimmered in the sunlight as she showed it to Alex. "I've never seen you wear this. It's beautiful."

"Oh, that," Alex said, her emotions blending together, leaving her feeling uncertain as to how she felt about seeing the dress after so many years. "I bought that several years ago. Steve and I were supposed to attend…well, I never wore it."

"He always did like you in blue," Abby smiled.

"He still does," Alex replied, tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear.

"You know," Abby began as she hung the gown back in the closet, "I never wanted to pry, but your breakup was always shrouded in mystery. Our mother held her own theory, but I never believed Steve cheated on you. He never seemed like the type."

Alex fingered a silver button on the blouse that lay in her lap, avoiding eye contact with her sister. "It just…didn't work out."

"What makes you think it will work out this time?" Abby held up a hand to stop her sister's reply. "I know I'm being blunt, Alex, but you're my little sister and I would rather see you be an old maid than be unhappy."

"That's great, thanks," Alex laughed.

"You know I want you to get married, but you deserve to be loved by a man that will make you happy."

"Steve does make me happy."

"Then why did you two break up in the first place?"

Alex shrugged, throwing an old pair of jeans into the "get rid of pile". Her sister had no idea what had happened with her and Steve and for now she would rather keep it that way.

Abby could not understand her sister's reluctance to tell her what had happened and it was beginning to bother her. There were other things about her sister she did not understand either and she wondered if she would ever be brought into Alex's confidence about those matters.

"I guess I'm wondering how you can see Steve for the first time in four years and a week later you're engaged to him," Abby said.

"Are you saying we were too hasty?"

"Not necessarily. I mean you two dated for a long time and I know how much you love him, but people can change in four years."

"I know that," Alex replied as she closed up a box filled with clothes.

"Hmm, I just want to make sure he's still the same man you knew four years ago."

"He is," Alex assured her.

"As long as you're sure," Abby replied. She picked up the box of clothes and left Alex to mull over their conversation.

To be honest, Alex had not taken the time to even consider whether or not Steve had changed. Now that she thought about it he was different in some ways, but so was she. He had never been a patient man, but he seemed to have improved in that area, at least where she and Natalie were concerned. There was also something else about him she could not put her finger on. Something she had seen in the depths of his eyes. A shadow she had seen and ignored. A shadow that held secrets he was unwilling to share with her.

She wondered if it had something to do with the murder of his father. The more she contemplated this thought the more she realized that had to be it. What other reason would have compelled him to stay in Hawaii and leave the life he loved.

His job now seemed slightly less dangerous than being a SEAL, but from what she had experienced, lively enough to keep him busy and give him a sense of fulfillment. If he added a wife and child to the equation would that throw his life out of balance? And did he really understand the full meaning of what this commitment would mean.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie woke up in a strange place, but she was not afraid because the room she was in seemed familiar, even though she had never been there before. She lay on a leather couch that sat in front of a window. The wooden blinds that covered the window were closed to keep out the early afternoon sun.

The air conditioning made the room a bit too cool, but she was wrapped snuggly in a button up shirt that smelled like a mixture of ocean breezes and spices she could not name. To her, it smelled like daddy and it made her feel safe.

She sat up on the couch and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Her stomach growled from hunger, but she was curious about the rest of the room. Slipping her arms into the sleeves of the blue shirt, she slid off the couch.

On the same wall as the window, hung a picture of a ship at sea and she tried to imagine it was sailing towards her, like the one she had seen in the movie, _The Voyage of the Dawn Treader_. She was disappointed that the ship could not really take her to Narnia.

There were two flags that rose to the ceiling, one was the American flag and she was undecided what the other one represented. The object that grabbed her attention the most was the glass case that held a model of a ship. She pressed her nose against the glass as she imagined tiny people on board battling a raging storm or fighting off a band of cutthroat pirates. She could almost hear the sound of the clashing and clanging of swords as the tiny sailors fought for victory.

Natalie finally backed away, but bumped into the desk chair. Much to her delight, she discovered it swiveled. She reverently climbed into the chair, pulling up her legs as she sat down. She noticed her flashlight sitting on the far edge of the desk and she reached across to retrieve it before settling back in the seat. Then with her right hand, she pushed off from the desk, spinning the chair around once to make sure it worked. The ride was smooth and it was as if once started the chair could go on forever. Natalie closed her eyes; giggling helplessly as she twirled again and again and again.

Suddenly, the chair stopped with a jerk. Her eyes flew open to see what had ruined her fun. There standing before her was Steve.

She grinned. "I like your chair, Daddy."

"I can see that," he replied. "Did you have a good nap?"

"Yes, but I'm hungry." She jumped down from her perch and began to stumble from all the spinning in the chair.

"Whoa, you okay?" he smiled.

"I'm dizzy," she said holding her head. Her hands were lost in the sleeves of the blue shirt.

Steve looked at her small figure, which was nearly swallowed up in his shirt. "That's a little big for you, isn't it?"

"Do I get to keep it?" she asked with a dimpled grin.

"We'll see."

"Do I get to stay here all day?"

"And spin in my chair?" he questioned her. She nodded enthusiastically in response and he continued, "Well, actually, Uncle Nate is coming to get you in half an hour and then you'll spend the rest of the afternoon with him, until I'm done with work. How does that sound?"

Her eyes lit up at the idea. "Really? That's awesome!" she exclaimed, hopping up and down.

"You don't have to be so sad about it."

Natalie noticed his hurt look. "I'm sorry, Daddy," she said, giving him a big hug. "I'll miss you,"

"I'll miss you, too," he smirked. "Now how about lunch?"

* * * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie had finished her lunch and was busily drawing at Steve's desk when Kono walked in to check on her.

"Hey, Natty," Kono said. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Drawing…you wanna see?" Natalie asked without looking up.

"Sure." Kono walked to the desk and leaned over it to see the drawing. She accidentally knocked over the little girl's flashlight that had been standing up next to her box of colored pencils. She was about to fix it when Natalie snatched it up and put it in her lap. Kono wondered if maybe she could get some information from the little girl concerning the mysterious hero that rescued her the night she had been kidnapped. They were never able to find out anything about him, or her, and she knew it still bothered her boss. "Flashlights are pretty cool, huh?"

Natalie smiled, but said nothing as she continued to draw.

"Chin gave me a flashlight when I graduated from the police academy. He even had it inscribed. Do you want to know what is said?"

Natalie nodded her head.

"It said, 'To my Cousin, who always brings light to the darkness.' Did someone special give you that flashlight?"

Natalie shrugged. "I just found it. Do you want to draw with me?"

Kono sighed, giving up on the possibility of getting anything out of the little girl. Then looking out into the main room where the three guys were discussing the case they were working on, she decided, "I can do that for a few minutes."

She pulled another chair up to the desk and took a piece of paper, along with a blue pencil. Putting her pencil to the paper, she drew the thing she liked best; ocean waves. Glancing at Natalie's picture again, Kono watched as the eight year old finished drawing a small triangle with her purple colored pencil. Underneath it, she drew a circle and a stick like body of the same color. She completed the figure with a big red smile.

"Who's that?" Kono asked.

"You," Natalie replied. She picked up her orange pencil and began to draw another figure.

"Really?" she chuckled. "What's that on my head?"

"You're a lady in waiting and that's your hat."

Kono smiled. "What am I waiting for?"

Natalie turned her attention away from her picture and met Kono's soft, brown eyes. " You're waiting for your knight, like in the old, old days; with kings, castles and fire breathing dragons."

"Fire breathing dragons?" Kono questioned. "It sounds exciting."

"It is. At least I imagine it is," she said, adding lines of green, red and yellow to her current figure.

Kono looked at the blue figure Natalie had already drawn. She guessed it must be Steve because the big arm muscles sported what must be Natalie's rendition of tattoos; one looked like a smiley face and the other was a heart. However, she was unsure of another figure drawn in black that wore sunglasses. "Who is this?" Kono wondered tapping the paper.

"That's Chin," Natalie said and leaned closer to Kono to share a secret. "Don't tell anyone, but I know he's really a ninja."

Kono found herself unable to hold back her laugher. This little girl captured her heart with her active imagination and her sweetness. "And who is this colorful person? Is that Danny?"

"Yes, he reminds me of a rainbow."

Kono was amazed at how well she had captured Danny's personality.

Natalie selected a gray pencil and proceeded to draw another stick person. Movement in the main room caught Kono's attention. Her dimples peeked through as she watched Nate exchange greetings with the three men.

"Look who's here," Kono sang. She did not wait for Natalie to respond, but strode out of the room to say hello to the newcomer.

Natalie finished her drawing and hopped down from the chair. She shoved the flashlight and pencils into her backpack and raced out of Steve's office nearly tackling Nate as she hugged him. He groaned quietly and she released her grip, remembering his injury. "Sorry," she whispered.

He winked at her. "Hey, Natty," he smiled. "Are you ready to have some fun?"

"Yes," she squealed.

"I brought you some clothes from home so you can change out of your school clothes," he said, handing her a pair of shorts and a top.

"Natty, I'll show you the way to the bathroom," Kono offered, taking the little girl's hand. "We'll be right back." She smiled at Nate as she walked by him and he grinned back at her.

"So, Nate, buddy," Danny began, putting an arm around Nate's shoulders, "what should I wear tonight so I won't clash with the car you going to lend me."

Steve crossed his arms and smirked while Chin shot Danny an amused look.

Nate saw through the ruse, but decided to have a little fun. "The car is _Seal_ gray," he said straight faced.

"Is that some kind of sick joke," Danny said, irritation evident in his voice.

Steve and Chin laughed.

"No, that's the color of the car _I_ was thinking of driving. You'll need to wait until tonight to see the color of your car, but I'm sure whatever you decide to wear will be fine," Nate smirked. "While we are on the subject of cars, will it be alright if there isn't a back seat in the car I'm loaning you?"

"Well, it depends on how long you think it will be until the Camaro is taken care of?" Danny asked.

"It should only take until the middle or the end of next week at the latest."

"I think I can make that work. I don't have Grace this weekend, so it should be fine. What is the car you are thinking about driving tonight?" Danny questioned.

Nate smiled. "Have you ever heard of the Porsche Carrera GT."

"Did I hear you correctly?" Danny wondered.

"That's a sweet ride," Chin added.

"How did you get your hands on that?" Steve exclaimed.

Nate looked over his shoulder in a conspiratorial way. "I stole it," he whispered. They were shocked for a second, but the grin that spread over Nate's face told them he was joking. "No, actually my boss has a lot of cars and I have access to all of them."

Danny mouthed the word "wow".

"I didn't realize the extent of your boss' holdings," Steve remarked. He fell silent as he pondered his brother. He became conscious of the fact he really did not know this man Nate had become.

"I'm ready," Natalie called as she and Kono rejoined them.

"Okay, let's go," Nate said.

"I need my backpack first."

"I'll get it," Kono volunteered.

"Don't give your Uncle Nate a hard time," Steve directed Natalie. "And we will be having a talk about what happened today."

"Bye, Daddy," Natalie said, hugging him.

Kono returned with Natalie's backpack and handed it to her. "It was nice hanging out with you."

Natalie hugged the woman and whispered, "Watch out for fire breathing dragons."

"I will," Kono smiled.

Nate took the little girl's hand and they began to leave before he remembered something. "Oh, Steve, can I borrow your truck because my car only has front seats."

"Sure," he said and they exchanged keys. "I might not give the Corvette back to you."

"Just don't crash into a fire hydrant."

"Right."

With keys in hand Nate and Natalie exited 5-0 headquarters.

"Natty seems to be doing better," Danny remarked.

"Yeah, right now anyway," Steve commented. "Now, let's get to work."

"You were Mr. Nice Guy when Natalie was here and now you're cracking the whip."

Steve smiled and went to his office only to return a few minutes later with a paper and a puzzled look. "Kono, what's this?" Steve asked, holding up the picture Natalie had drawn.

"Natty drew that, isn't it cute?" Kono said.

"Who's the idiot with the big muscles," Danny joked. "Oh, it says 'daddy', that must be you." He looked at Steve and smirked.

"Watch it, Mr. Rainbow," Steve shot back.

"Hey, at least she depicted me correctly," Danny said as he studied the drawing, "and Chin…but I have no idea what's on Kono's head."

"Danny, just shut up for a second. Kono did she say who this one was?" Steve said as he pointed to a gray figure with a mask and a cape that was drawn near the edge of the paper, away from the other four figures. The person was holding a flashlight.

"I didn't see her draw that one," Kono said, shaking her head. "We did talk about flashlights a little, so maybe that's why she drew it."

"What's up with the mask and cape?" Steve asked.

"Perhaps, whoever this person is, she sees as a superhero," Chin suggested.

"She seems to have an active imagination," Kono added.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Steve said.

"Either that or the person who rescued her really was dressed in a mask and cape," Danny said.

Raising an eyebrow, Steve asked, "Did you just say that?"

"What?" Danny exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "I'm just trying to state all the possibilities."

"Boss," Kono jumped in, "maybe you can draw what you did the night she was kidnapped, without too many details, and then ask Natalie to draw what happened to her. Maybe it will be easier for her than talking about it."

"I'm willing to try just about anything at this point," Steve said. "Whoever this flashlight guy is, I'm gonna find him."

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in posting. Sometimes it takes me a little while to get a chapter done, but please know I am trying to make it the best as possible for all you wonderful readers. Thanks to everyone for reading and taking the time to review. I really love hearing from you.**


	7. Letting Go

**Chapter 7**

"**Letting Go"**

Nate soared through the air. The sound of the wind whistling by his ears brought back memories from his childhood.

"I can swing higher than you," Natalie giggled.

"You can try," he replied with a laugh, "but I'm an expert."

"So am I," she called back.

He remembered how he drove his mother crazy when he would jump off a swing at its highest point and fly through the air, before landing on his feet. The object of this activity was not only to feel weightless, but to see how great of a distance he could travel. He wondered how far he could leap now. He thought it was better not to try because Natalie would follow suit, and if she injured herself, Steve would not be happy.

"Doesn't swinging make you want to fly?" Natalie asked.

_Yeah,_ Nate thought. There were many times he wished he could fly. As a kid he had dreams he was flying, unhindered by anything, but now his dreams were not so pleasant.

"Watch this, Uncle Nate," she squealed.

Before Nate had a chance to react, Natalie let go of the chains on the swing and did exactly what he had refrained from doing. "Natalie!" he yelled.

She flew through the air and landed perfectly. Turning around to face him, she raised her arms in triumph. "Your turn!" she said, gleefully.

Nate thought about it for a moment. He really wanted to jump off, but he was not sure if he should encourage swing jumping.

"Come on," Natalie coaxed. "You're not chicken are you?"

He grinned and pumped his legs harder, causing the ache in his ribs to intensify, but he decided it was well worth the discomfort. The swing went back and forth, back and forth, until finally, Nate released his hands from around the chains and flew through the air. For a fleeting moment, he was free.

Natalie clapped her hands in delight as he hit the ground far beyond her mark. "Uncle Nate, that was outrageous!"

"Outrageous?" he laughed.

"It was awesome!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down.

"You bet it was."

"Let's do it again," she said, running for the swing.

"Whoa," he said, catching her in his arm, "let's not flirt with disaster."

Natalie's mouth opened wide. "Mommy said I shouldn't flirt." Then a puzzled expression crossed her face. "What does that mean anyway?"

Nate did not want to explain flirting to an eight year old. "It means we shouldn't do it again."

She frowned at him, not satisfied with his answer, but she let it go. Taking his hand, she ushered him over to the play structure that resembled a castle, at least in her eyes.

A little girl about her age came sliding down the slide and shortly after an identical one followed. They smiled at Natalie and one of them called, "Do you wanna play with us?"

Natalie seemed uncertain and she looked to Nate for guidance. "Go ahead, I'll sit right over there," he said, pointing to a wooden bench. She still seemed hesitant and he added, "I'm not going anywhere. Go have fun."

Natalie slowly walked toward the girls. She looked back at Nate and he gave her a nod of encouragement before she joined the twins in their game.

"Is that your daughter?" an elderly woman asked from beside him.

"My niece," Nate said. He was surprised at how easily the word "niece" flowed off his tongue.

"She's adorable," the woman replied. "The girls she's playing with are my granddaughters." He nodded his head in response and she continued, "I have them everyday after school. They are so wonderful and they never give me an ounce of _trouble_."

Before she could praise her granddaughters any more, they heard a shriek and saw one of the twins kneeling on the ground beneath the monkey bars.

"Oh, that's Madelyn," the grandmother said. "She'll cry if she only stubs her toe. Please excuse me."

Nate sat down on the wooden bench and crossed his arms. His eyes followed Natalie as she raced across the plastic bridge that connected two green towers on the play structure. She waved excitedly at him before she slid down a pole and scampered up a set of stairs, with Madelyn's sister close at her heels.

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands in front of him. Natalie seemed content and unafraid as she played; showing no signs of her distress from the previous night. He remembered how scared she was after the nightmare about her father. It tore Nate up inside, knowing he would be causing the little girl more emotional trauma by freeing her father.

The thing that agonized him the most was that she trusted him completely. She even thought he was some kind of superhero who would always keep her safe. How super would he be if she ever learned what he was about to do. His fears about Steve's reaction lessened in comparison to his concern about how it would affect Natalie.

He ran a hand over his face as the guilt already plaguing him heightened to an almost unbearable degree. _How can I go through with this? _he thought.

"Nathan," a familiar voice addressed him.

Nate closed his eyes. That voice. His full first name. _Not now,_ he thought.

"You were never one for procrastinating, but I'm beginning to wonder because here you are playing at the park and you had dinner plans last evening and then again tonight. Is there a problem I should be aware of?"

Nate did not answer his boss for a long moment. When at last he responded, his voice was quiet. "I don't know if I can do it."

The older man sat down next to him, a grave expression etched on his face. His light blue eyes scanned the playground as he waited for Nate to continue.

"I've always done _whatever_ you asked of me," Nate said. His words felt like dust in his mouth. "There is more at stake here than I anticipated. I didn't realize how much…"

"A little girl could change your life?" his boss finished.

Nate looked at the older man, whose gaze was fixed upon Natalie. His boss understood.

"Children are a curious thing," his boss reflected. "They can change the course of your life, but then, you can change the course of theirs." The two men sat engulfed in their silence as clouds drifted by overhead and the little girl they watched laughed and ran; oblivious that she was the object of their musings. The older man finally stood and looked down at Nate through his sunglasses. "Well then," he said, "goodbye, Nathan." Without another word, he turned and left.

Nate let out a relieved sigh and slouched against the back of the bench. He felt he had just let go of a burden that had been too much for him to carry, but almost as soon as it was gone it was replaced by a sense of guilt for letting his boss down. _It'll be okay, _he thought shaking his head. _It has to be. _

He noticed the twins leaving with their grandmother. The older woman caught his eye and waved quickly before turning her attention back to her granddaughters. Natalie came toward him dragging her feet. She plopped herself on the bench and rested her head against him.

"I'm thirsty," she said, wiping her sweat covered brow.

Nate put his arm around her. "Should we do something about that?"

She nodded and then asked, "Uncle Nate?"

"Yeah?"

"Do I know that man you were talking to?"

"I don't know, do you?" Nate replied.

She closed her eyes, searching through memories as she tried to place the man. "I can't remember."

"Well, maybe he looks like someone you've met before."

"Maybe…"

"How about we get you something to drink and maybe along the way we'll find some ice cream."

Her light blue eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah, and then we can go home and hit the water."

"Why would we hit the water?"

"I mean go swimming."

"Oh, that sounds great."

Nate smiled and standing up he took her hand in his. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "Do you want to drive?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve arrived home shortly after five o'clock, more than ready for a little shut eye. He knew that was not an option for at least several more hours. He had just finished a lengthy conversation with Mrs. Schofield concerning Natalie and before it became too late in the day he would need to call Alex to fill her in on the details. As soon as he showered and changed he and Natalie would be heading over to the Reilly's for dinner.

He sat on the couch and removed his boots and socks. Enjoying the stillness of the house, he leaned back and rested until the sound of laughter drew his attention outside.

He moved to the double doors at the back of the house and walked out onto the patio. To his right on the table, he noticed two glasses of what appeared to be lemonade, with ice that resembled chips more than the cubes they once were. There were two sets of wet, sandy footprints on the patio bricks and he assumed the owners of the glasses had recently been out of the water for a drink.

He crossed the grass and stepped onto the warm sand, feeling the tiny particles compress under his feet. Standing on the edge where the dry and wet sand met, he enjoyed the sight of Natalie and Nate jumping through the small waves as they drifted toward the shore.

"Daddy!" Natalie squealed. She fought the push and pull of the water in an attempt to reach him quickly. Stumbling onto the sand she shrieked, "I missed you!"

Steve took a step back as he eyed her dripping hands coming toward him. "Whoa, let's get you a towel," he suggested.

"So, it's okay for you to touch people when you're wet, but not the other way around, huh?" Nate teased as he trudged out of the water, his gray swim shirt clinging to his chest.

"Are you kidding? Alex wanted to get wet," Steve defended himself.

"I don't think so, Daddy," Natalie corrected him, wrapping her wet arms around his waist.

"Hey!" Steve exclaimed.

"Now you know how it feels," Natalie said, giving him a dimpled grin.

"Just for that I'm giving you a spin dry," he said.

"What's a spin dry?"

He smiled and tossed her over his shoulder, spinning around until he was sure she had enough.

"That was fun," Natalie giggled, "but now you're really wet."

Steve shook his head and put her down. "Did you have fun this afternoon?" he asked the little girl as they all turned to walk back to the house.

"Uh-huh," she said. "We went to the park and Uncle Nate asked me if I wanted to drive." Steve shot a questioning look to Nate, who shrugged in reply. "But he said he was joking, and then we had ice cream," Natalie finished as she wrapped up in a brightly colored beach towel.

"Did you bring me any ice cream?" Steve asked, glancing at his watch.

"Um…I ate it all," Natalie confessed.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Turning to his brother he said, "Hey, don't you have somewhere you need to be soon?"

"Oh, yeah," Nate replied. "I guess it's getting late."

"You're not gonna be here with us?" Natalie frowned.

"I'm going out to dinner with Danny, Chin and Kono," Nate answered.

A smile tiptoed across Natalie's lips at the idea of her uncle going out to dinner with Kono.

"What's that smile for?" Steve asked.

"Oh, nothing," she said, skipping into the house.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"How do I look?" Nate asked, spreading his arms wide.

Natalie looked at him with a critical eye. "Turn please," she directed, twirling her index finger in the air.

From where he was seated on the couch, Steve cleared his throat to keep from laughing. Nate shot him a glance, daring him to laugh. Then he proceeded to do as the little girl requested.

"Hmm," Natalie pondered. "I like your blue shirt."

"That's all I get?" Nate said, looking down at his attire.

This time Steve laughed and Nate scowled at him.

"You're the most handsomest, Uncle Nate," Natalie complimented.

Nate grinned in triumph.

"Hey," Steve fussed. "What about me?"

"Oh, you too, Daddy," Natalie consoled him, "but Uncle Nate is all dressed up."

"So, I'm good to go?" Nate questioned her.

"I think your hair needs some attention," she told him.

"Really?" he said, running his fingers through his dark, brown hair.

"Wait right there." She scrambled up the stairs and returned quickly with a comb.

"Where did you get that?" Steve said.

"Um…from your room," Natalie confessed.

"Here use mine," Nate offered, producing a comb from the inside pocket of his blazer.

"Okay, here, Daddy," she said, tossing the comb to Steve.

"Thanks," he replied.

Natalie dragged Nate into the other room and directed him to one of the chairs. She pulled another chair behind his and knelt on the seat. "Now hold still," she commanded.

She began to comb his hair forward and then backward, side to side and forward again.

"What are you doing up there?" Nate asked.

"Exercising your hair," Natalie said. "Doesn't it feel good?"

"I guess so, but I have to leave."

She nodded and combed his hair into a style she thought was nice. "Your hair is a little longer than daddy's, but not as curly," she commented and then began humming for a few moments before continuing to speak. "Uncle Nate, do you like Chin?"

Nate was wondering where that question came from and where it was going. "Yeah, I like Chin."

"Do you like Danny?"

"Yeah," Nate said, wishing he could see the expression on her face.

"Do you like me?"

"I love you."

Natalie smiled. "Do you lo-ike Kono?"

This was where it was going. He caught the stumble on the word "like" because she really wanted to say "love". "Kono's nice."

"How nice?"

"Are you finished with my hair, yet?"

She put the comb down and held onto his shoulders. "You didn't answer my question."

"Really?" he said standing up. "I'm sure I did."

"Uncle Nate," she pouted, standing up on her chair. "I have to know."

"If there are any changes from what I told you, you'll be the first to know," he promised, kissing her cheek. He grabbed his comb, left her standing on the chair, said goodbye to Steve and exited the house.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The aroma of Henri Reilly's famous hamburgers sizzling on the grill was enough to make even the most finicky eater's mouth water. If that was not enough to tempt the palate, his homemade fries cooked in peanut oil would draw them in. This meal meant that Henri's wife, Hannah, was out of the house and Admiral Reilly was at the helm.

Even Steve McGarrett feasted on this cholesterol collision course meal. In fact, it was one of the things that he had been particularly fond of during the four years he had dated Alex.

"Sir, a person hasn't lived until they've eaten one your burgers," Steve praised.

The older man wiped his mouth and smiled. It would take Steve a long time to get used to calling him Henri.

Steve leaned back in his chair and continued, "Can you please tell me how to make these?"

"That means I would have to reveal my secret ingredient," Henri replied.

"Either you give it out, or, well, you've seen me interrogate people," Steve smirked. Henri chuckled at his comment.

"Papa, can I have more fries, please?" Natalie asked.

"You bet, sweetie," Henri said. "We need to eat all of them before Nana gets back," he said, winking at the little girl.

"Where did Nana go anyway?"

"She went out with her good friend."

"Who's that?"

"Governor Jameson," Henri responded.

"Is that an important person?" Natalie wondered, munching on a fry.

"Very important," Henri said, clearing the dirty dishes from the table. "She's your daddy's boss."

"You have a boss, Daddy?" she said amazed. "I thought you were the boss?"

The two men laughed. "Everyone has a boss," Steve told her. "Even me."

Natalie was having a hard time wrapping her little mind around that thought. She could not imagine anyone ordering her daddy around.

"I'll clean up while you two relax," Henri offered.

"Natty, why don't you come outside and we'll sit on the swing and have our little talk," Steve said.

She pushed her chair back from the table and reluctantly followed him, unsure of where this talk would lead. "Daddy" was supposed to be fun. From everything she could remember, he had never put her in a time out, never scolded or punished her, but ever since they had been reunited, things had changed.

Natalie always had the sense when Steve said something you did it, but it did not keep her from testing the limits out for herself.

They sat on the swing together and Steve rocked it gently back and forth with his feet while Natalie's legs dangled off the front of the wooden seat.

"Do you want to tell me what happened in school this morning?" Steve asked, looking down at her.

Natalie was studying his watch, circling the face with her index finger, unwilling to respond.

"Hey," he said, tilting his head downward. "Look at me." The little girl pressed the button that lit up the screen on his watch and repeated the action several times before he covered her hand with his and insisted, "Natalie, look at me." She begrudgingly did as he requested and he continued, "Tell me what happened in school this morning."

"I'm not writing that last name," she huffed, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

"Do you mean Keller?" Steve asked.

"I _hate_ that name," she scowled.

The little girl's countenance shocked Steve. He had never seen such a hardened expression on her face. "Do you hate the name or the man who gave it to you?" Steve questioned.

"Both."

"You know your mother's last name was Keller."

"Yeah, and she died," Natalie countered. "That's how much she liked the name."

Her words were morbid and blunt and they took Steve by surprise. He did not realize how much anger she harbored against her father. Mrs. Schofield had suggested Natalie be encouraged to talk about her father and the way she felt toward him. Discussing Paul Keller was a difficult task for Steve, but if it would help Natalie he would do it.

Steve knew this question was a long shot, but maybe there was at least one good memory of her father that would help ease the little girl's anger toward him. "Do you remember anything about your father from when you were younger?" Steve asked.

"He's not my father!" she insisted.

"I know you're angry with him, but he is-"

"I don't want to talk about this any more," Natalie snapped at him. "I wanna go in!"

Steve pressed his lips together, frowning in concentration. He did not like the tone in her voice. "When you speak to me, you need to do it respectfully," he corrected her. "Do you hear me?"

She blinked at him several times, stunned by his reprimand. "Yes," she mumbled.

"Yes, _what_?"

"Yes, Daddy."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Henri sat in his recliner reading his worn copy of _War and Peace_. He had begun reading this book while Hannah was pregnant with their eldest daughter, Abby, and he was somewhat embarrassed to confess how long ago that actually had been. He was determined to complete the book before his youngest daughter, Alex, married Steve.

It was a stiff deadline, even though a date had not been set, because if he knew anything about Steve McGarrett, he knew they would be married as soon as possible.

The stomping of a little girl's feet caused Henri to look over his reading glasses as Natalie entered the family room. She went over to a set of small, sturdy chairs and a table and pulled out one of the seats and plopped herself down. Grabbing a colored pencil and a piece of paper from the stack on the table, she began to draw.

Seconds later, Steve walked in with a weary, but not defeated look on his face. With purpose, he crossed the room and sat in the little chair across from her, taking his own paper and pencil.

The sight amused Henri greatly. He pretended to read his book, but all the while he watched the interaction between the Navy SEAL and his little girl.

Natalie pretended she did not want to know what Steve was drawing. He had his left arm positioned in such a way that hid the colored drawings he made. She was still miffed by his reprimand, but every chance possible, when his head was lowered in concentration; she tried to sneak a glimpse of his picture.

It was during such a moment that he finally said, "Do you want to see what I'm doing?"

Again she feigned disinterest, but her curiosity won out. "If you want to show me."

Steve tried hard not to smile and he heard Henri clear his throat from behind his book. He slid his paper over in front of Natalie, carefully watching her reaction.

"What's this about?" she asked.

"This is me," he said, pointing to one of the figures. "And this is mommy, tied to a chair and I think you know who this is." He pointed to another figure which represented Paul Keller. Natalie's face darkened and he knew she understood this was the night she and Alex had been kidnapped and brought to the abandoned warehouse. "This is when I found out you were in trouble," Steve added.

Natalie traced imaginary shapes on the table as she asked, "What did you do to the bad man? Why did they take him away in an ambulance?"

Steve noticed how she called her father the "bad man". "He fell off some shelves in the warehouse," Steve replied.

"Oh," Natalie said, sounding disappointed. "I thought you beat him up."

"Is that what you wanted me to do?"

"Yes."

Steve nodded his head, acknowledging her answer. "Beating someone up doesn't make you feel better."

"It would make me feel better."

The way she spoke those words with such conviction, scared Steve a little. He was listening to an eight year old voice his own thoughts. He remembered that morning and the intense desire he had to pulverize Keller. If it had not been for Danny, he would have done so. At that moment it hit him, whether or not Natalie knew what he did, his actions were telling her "do what I do". That responsibility intimidated him.

"He deserved to get beat up," Natalie pronounced, tears welling up in her eyes.

Here Steve was only trying to gather information about the mysterious "flashlight guy" and he was uncovering these dark thoughts from his sweet little girl. He looked over at Henri, who by this time had set aside his book and was watching Natalie intently.

"You should have beat 'em up!" She stood up suddenly. "Why _didn't_ you beat him, Daddy?" she demanded.

Steve was stunned by her outburst. "Natty, I-"

"He hit me, Daddy!" she cried fiercely. "He hit me!" Tears began to spill down her flushed cheeks. "He hit me!" she screamed. In frustration she swept the table clear of the paper and pencils. "I hate him! I hate him!" With those words she crumbled to the floor and curled up on her side, wailing miserably.

Steve was unable to move for a moment as he gazed down at the little girl. Uncertainty, held him fast. What could he say? What was he supposed to do?

Finally, instinct, compassion, or a father's need to comfort his hurting child, compelled him forward. He stumbled slightly before laying down on his side next to Natalie. Then wrapping a reassuring arm around her, he pulled her up against himself. For the moment, she did not need him to say anything. She just needed him to be her daddy.

**A/N: Thank you for reading. **

**Krishnaa, I hope you liked this chapter. There will be more Nate to come. :)**

**I want to thank atr324 because I can't message you back. I really appreciate your comments.**

**A big thank you to Shakespeare's Lemonade and to my personal writing assistant, my mother. **


	8. Jamie

**Chapter 8**

"**Jamie"**

Nate steered the Carerra GT into the parking area at 5-0 headquarters, followed by another sporty European convertible that he brought for Danny. He saw the blonde haired detective grinning like a kid about to receive a long awaited "toy". Chin stood to his co-worker's right with a woman Nate did not know. It surprised him Chin had not mentioned the possibility of bringing a date. The dinner reservations were for four people, not five.

_Oh,_ he thought. _Maybe Kono decided not to come. Why wouldn't she tell me?_

However, when he came to a stop he realized he did know the woman. She was Kono. He had not recognized her all dressed up. Her hair was pulled up in a gentle sweep on top of her head and one loose curl hung down the left side of her face. In Nate's opinion, the cream colored, knee length dress she wore and the sunset colored shawl wrapped around her shoulders made her look like a Hawaiian princess.

Nate opened his door and stepped out. He called a "thank you" to the man who had driven the convertible over before the man left in a third vehicle.

"These cars look too perfect to drive," Danny said, admiring the cars.

"Yeah, but a car is made to be driven, especially these," Nate answered. "I brought the Spider for you," Nate said as he pointed to the magnesium grey convertible, which was parked behind the car he had driven. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's great," Danny praised. "It's called the Spider?"

"Well, technically it's called the 8C Spider made by Alfa Romeo. The 'Spider' gives it a more superhero sound."

Danny and Chin looked at each other and grinned, both thinking they were the hero and the other was the sidekick. Finally, Danny voiced the thought out loud. "Chin, you can be my sidekick."

Kono smirked as the two began to debate who would be the better hero as they continued to admire the car. She appreciated the car as much as the guys did, but at the moment she was appreciating something or rather some_one_ else. That someone was Nate McGarrett.

He wore a fitted black blazer, which defined his trim form and a button up shirt that made his blue eyes appear even more brilliant than usual. She thought he looked amazing. It would be a challenge for her to keep from staring at him all evening.

"Well, we should get going," Nate said.

"Okay, sidekick," Chin teased Danny, "I'll let you drive."

"Could you let this go and let me be the hero?" Danny pleaded. "Steve's not here."

"I am letting you drive," Chin countered as they climbed into the vehicle.

Kono tried not to seem too happy about the fact she would be driving with Nate, but it was hard, especially when he opened the passenger door for her and helped her in.

They watched Danny, who was all too eager to get going, speed out of the parking lot ahead of them.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

It took some time, but Steve finally managed to calm Natalie, so that he could pick up her off the floor and move to the couch. The little girl now sat sideways on Steve's lap, resting her head on his chest as she clutched the front of his shirt.

Natalie took in a shaky breath trying to stifle the sobs that were threatening to begin again. The thought of being associated with the name Keller caused her great distress. She could not imagine that man being her father. The man she called daddy was honorable, protective and loving. He would never hurt her or use her for selfish gain.

Steve was unsure how long they sat this way, but he noticed Natalie's eyelids beginning to droop and before long she was asleep. He rested his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes. After a quarter of an hour passed, the thought occurred to him that he had not called Alex back since cutting their conversation short that morning. He pulled out his phone and selected her number.

"Hey," Alex answered. "I've been waiting for you to call all day. Is everything okay?"

"For the moment," Steve replied.

"That doesn't sound good. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but Natty's not that great."

Alex sighed. "Is she not listening to you?"

"It's not that," he said, lifting his head and looking down at the little girl on his lap. "Today has just been a rough day for her." Steve went on to tell Alex about Natalie's nightmare, what happened at school, his discussion with Mrs. Schofield and the little girl's most recent trouble this evening.

"My poor baby," Alex sighed.

"Thanks, but this is about Natalie," Steve joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"You're ridiculous," she chuckled. "Thanks for trying to make me laugh."

"You know, I've been thinking about one of the things Mrs. Schofield mentioned."

"Which one?" Alex asked.

"That sometimes kids have a hard time dealing with change. And with all that Natty has gone through regarding her father and how she feels about him, I don't think it's helping her to make an easy adjustment to living here."

"Well, it should help when I come back and we can get into more of a routine."

"She needs it right now."

"Well, what are you suggesting?"

"I was wondering what you thought about Natty staying with me, instead of with your parents. I thought we could start fixing up my sister's old room that way Natty can have a room that's hers and she can get settled."

"I think that sounds great. Natty will like that. I kind of feel like I've dumped all this on you though, I'm sorry," Alex apologized. "I should have brought Natty with me, but I know she didn't want to be away from you. But you're busy with work and what if you get called out in the middle of the night or-"

"Hey," Steve interrupted her, "you don't have to apologize. I can do this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"I wish I was there to help you…no, I just wish I was there."

"I want you here, too, because…"

"You miss me?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "Danny's waiting for me to fall apart. He told me I would be losing it by tonight."

"Are you?" she wondered.

"Natty told me I was grouchy," Steve admitted and Alex laughed at the comment, "but I think I can hold out until Sunday. I'm warning you now that I may not share you with anyone when you come back."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely."

"Hey, I've been wondering about something," Alex began.

"Uh-oh," Steve said.

"Just listen. Do you think I've changed much since we were together four years ago?"

Steve thought for a moment. "I think you have, now that you mention it."

Alex was trying to imagine in what way he thought she had changed. Was it good or bad? "Do you care to elaborate?"

"Oh," he answered reluctantly, "so you want me to tell you?"

"I wouldn't have brought it up if I wanted you to keep it to yourself."

"Well, if you really want to know."

"Yes," she said impatiently.

"Okay…you're more beautiful than you were four years ago."

She exhaled loudly. "I don't know what to say to you right now. You made it sound like it was something terrible."

"Wow, I actually got you. I actually fooled Alex Reilly."

"Yeah, well, it's not going to happen again."

"You keep thinking that. Oh, and there is one other thing I would add to that change thing."

"What?"

"I'm not sure if it's possible, but you're more stubborn than I remember."

"That's not so terrible, is it?" she said with a degree of uncertainty in her voice.

"Alex, did you ask me that question for a reason because I'm trying to figure out where you're going with this?" She did not answer right away, so he continued hesitantly, "Have you changed your mind about us?"

"No," she assured him. "It's just my sister-"

"_Oh_," Steve said as understanding dawned on him. "I should have known. You were talking to Abby weren't you? She is the only person besides your dad that can make you question a decision you've made. You know, I wish I could join that club."

"I'm not questioning my decision to marry you and _no one_ tells me what to think!" Alex realized her tone was a bit harsh. She paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "My father and sister just happen to bring up some good points and for your information, you are in a club _all by yourself_. I'm pretty sure _you_ are the only one who can ever change my mind about anything."

Steve grinned. "I have all that power, huh? I think I'll put that to good use."

"You're not the only one with that power," she informed him. "May I remind you that _I_ was the one who convinced you to dress up as Batman that one Halloween after you said there was no way you were putting on a costume. I was the envy of every woman at that party," she boasted. "Oh, and I have pictures, do you think Danny might like to see those?"

He smirked. "Alex, you haven't changed at all." Then a thought occurred to him. "Wait, is this about me? You think I've changed?" She did not respond to his question. "This _is_ about me, isn't it?" She remained silent. "Alex, just tell me what you're thinking."

"I don't really know what it is. It's just…something I've seen in your eyes."

"So you're going on something you've seen in my eyes?" he asked as he ran his hand over Natalie's hair while she slept. "It was probably a lack of sleep you saw."

"It was _not_ a lack of sleep. I noticed it mostly when we talked about your dad, but I think it's always there, lurking in the shadows."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm not a character in one of your books, Alex. There's nothing _lurking_ in the shadows. You're seeing things."

"You know you can't lie to me, even over the phone."

Steve pulled the phone away from his ear and closed his eyes for a moment. He knew he could not keep Alex in the dark forever about the circumstances surrounding his father's murder and the connection to Wo Fat, but now was not the time to tell her. "I don't know what you saw, but there's nothing."

"I don't want this to turn into an argument," Alex assured him, "but there _is_ something you are keeping from me and I'm worried how this could affect our relationship." Steve tried to cut her off, but she silenced him. "Close your mouth and listen to me!" She could hear his irritation simmering as she continued, "We are getting married and we have a little girl to think about. Whatever goes on between the two of us she will either benefit or suffer from. Do you understand that?"

"I get that, Alex!" Steve snapped. "Believe me."

"Daddy why are you yelling at mommy?" Natalie asked, sleepily.

"Shh, it's okay sweetheart," Steve said, gently rubbing her back, "go back to sleep."

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Okay, go ahead," Steve replied. Natalie slid off his lap and shuffled off to the bathroom.

Alex cleared her throat.

"Don't say it," Steve warned.

"It's already happening."

"I asked you not to say it."

"Look, you know I have my ways of finding things out, but I would rather you tell me about it. You need to stop trying to protect me and let me help you. I'm not going to fall apart or crumble; I'm not some China doll." She realized "China doll" was a poor example because of what had happened to her in China. She could hear him shutting the door on the possibility of him telling her what he was keeping from her.

"Leave it alone, Alex," he said in a firm tone.

She knew that tone. Arguing was futile. She bit back what she wanted to say and asked instead, "So, can I talk to Natalie?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate had not said a word since pulling out of the parking lot at headquarters, and Kono was beginning to wonder if something was wrong.

_He is __**so**__ quiet,_ she thought. _We had a nice conversation yesterday when we ate our shave ice and when we went hiking last week. Why isn't he talking? Maybe he is wishing Chin drove with him instead. I wonder if he thinks this dress is too much for tonight. He did look at it several times when he helped me into the car. Maybe I should have worn my black dress. It's more subdued. _Kono shifted self-consciously in her seat and glanced over at him. _Hmm, his hair…_

Nate could tell Kono was looking at him again. What did that mean? _Is something wrong?_ he thought. _Maybe she wanted to drive in the Spider, but she got stuck driving with me._ At that moment, horror sliced through his stomach. _I never looked at my hair._ _How did Natalie fix it?_ He discreetly leaned to the right, so he could see his reflection in the rear view mirror, but he realized that was not a good idea. _You idiot,_ he thought. _What's she gonna think you're doing? She's gonna think you're vain or maybe that you're trying to take her hand or something._ He straightened up.

_ What was that? _Kono wondered, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. _Maybe he was going to hold my hand. Girl, you're ridiculous. _She looked down and realized her arms were crossed. _Oh_, _you, fool!_ She rolled her eyes. _How can I casually unfold my arms without it looking like I want him to hold my hand._

"Natalie fixed it!" he blurted out. His sudden words made Kono jump. "I mean my hair…she wanted to fix my hair, so that's why it looks like…it does." He looked out his side window. _McGarrett, you're an idiot._

"That was sweet of her," Kono responded. "I was actually thinking it looked great."

"Oh, really…thanks."_ I should probably say something about how pretty she looks. _"Um…you look nice, by the way."

_By the way? _Kono thought. _As in, __**by the way**__ your mother called or __**by the way**__ we're having fish for dinner tonight._ "Thanks," she smiled.

They arrived at the restaurant in time to see one of the valets driving the Spider to a parking place. Nate pulled up to the curb and a valet opened the car door for Kono and helped her out. Stepping out of the car, Nate accepted the ticket handed to him.

"Enjoy your evening, sir," the valet said.

"Thank you," Nate replied. He walked around the back of the car and joined Kono. Donning an English accent, Nate said, "Your castle awaits, milady." For a brief moment, he hesitated before offering her his arm.

Kono smiled, and a laugh nearly escaped her lips when he gave her the most adorable grin she had ever seen. She hoped their awkwardness was behind them. Wrapping her arm around his she felt an overwhelming sense of excitement and fear collide within her. As the strong and gentle arm guided her forward, she felt like the lady in waiting Natalie had portrayed her as in the drawing the little girl made earlier in the day. In that moment, Kono decided Nate McGarrett was well worth waiting for.

Danny and Chin stood by the fountain in the courtyard as they waited for Nate and Kono. "Wow," Danny said. "Look at that smile on Kono's face. Hey, is there something going on with those two I don't know about?"

Chin raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, is there?"

"Why are you answering my question with a question?"

"I don't know, am I?" Chin asked.

Danny shook his head. "Maybe I should ask Kono myself."

"No!" Chin blurted out.

"So, there _is_ something going on."

"I didn't say _anything_," Chin insisted.

"No," Danny said, "you didn't say _anything_."

The two men became quiet as the pair they had been discussing approached.

Kono looked from one to the other. "What?" she asked, her face alight with a smile.

Danny clapped his hands together. "Nothing," he answered innocently, "it's just a nice night…a beautiful night. Don't _you_ think so, Chin?"

Chin smiled. "It's definitely nice."

"_Right_," Kono responded, not convinced by their replies.

Once inside the restaurant they were greeted by the _maître d_'. "Ah, Monsieur McGarrett, bienvenue. Comment allez-vous?

"Très bien, merci, François," Nate replied.

"It has been too long since we have seen you," François said with his thick French accent.

"Yes, it has been."

"I have prepared your usual table for you and your guests. Please, right this way."

François led the way to the table and the four followed.

"I didn't know you spoke French," Kono whispered to Nate.

"I can speak a word or two," he admitted.

They were seated at a table nestled in a quiet windowed corner, which overlooked the ocean. Kono sat across from Nate, while Danny and Chin sat opposite from each other. François informed the party their waiter would be with them momentarily.

"So, you speak French," Danny said. "Where did you learn that?"

"After eleven years of being encouraged to speak French at the dinner table, I guess I picked it up."

"Impressive."

"Well, one of my uncle's hobbies is linguistics and he tried to pass that on to me."

"Do you come here often?" Danny asked, glancing through the menu in his hands.

"I've been here a few times on business," Nate replied.

"Can you elaborate on what your job actually entails?" Chin requested.

"Basically, potential buyers approach my boss and tell him what they are looking for and then I go on a treasure hunt until I can locate the type of car they want. Sometimes it takes days, sometimes weeks; it all depends on the rarity of the car and whether the owner is willing to sell it. There is a lot of traveling involved."

"Sounds exciting," Kono smiled, turning a page in her menu.

"Yeah," Danny piped in. "How does one get a job like yours? Because when I can't follow your brother into battle anymore, I'd like to be able to hang around expensive cars and get paid for it."

Nate laughed. "My uncle's friend recruited me," he answered. "And it's not all that glamorous. It's really a lot of hard work."

The waiter came up to their table and took their orders. The conversation continued and Kono sat contentedly listening to Nate talk about various cars and some of the places he had traveled. For a moment, her attention shifted to an older, distinguished looking gentleman walking into the dining area with a stunning young woman on his arm, who was laughing flirtatiously at a comment he made.

Kono rolled her eyes. _Some guys like 'em young_, she thought

Kono looked around the room and noticed most of the male population gawking at the woman. The spaghetti strap dress she wore, with horizontal accordion pleats, hung an inch above her knees. Its silver color complemented her dark, reddish brown hair that fell about her shoulders in loose curls. She walked with a sway that would hypnotize an onlooker if they watched her for too long.

Kono shook her head and pulled her eyes away, focusing on Nate, who was asking Danny what he thought of the Spider. The New Jersey Native was about to answer when they heard a woman's voice call out, "Jamie? Jamie, is that you?"

Kono watched in horror as Nate responded to the name "Jamie" by turning his head toward the woman in the silver dress.

"It is you!" the woman said excitedly as she dragged the older man she was with over to the table.

Nate pushed back his chair and stood. "Nicole, what are you doing here?"

The woman replied by wrapping her arms around him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I don't even get a hello?" she questioned, her velvety green eyes caressing his face.

"Hello."

"You are too funny, Jamie," she said, straightening his blazer and then taking his arm. "I want you to meet daddy, but of course you can call him Mr. Millay. Daddy, this is Nathan James McGarrett, remember the one I told you about, who does that thing with cars."

"Yes, I do remember, dear," her father said with a measure of disinterest. "Nice to meet you Mr. McGarrett."

"A pleasure, sir," Nate replied, shaking the man's hand.

"Jamie," Nicole said, playfully scolding him, "are you going to introduce me to your friends or do I have to introduce myself?"

"I'm sorry," Nate responded. Chin and Danny stood while the introductions were made. "Nicole, this is Chin Ho Kelly, Danny Williams and Kono Kalakaua. Everyone this is…an old friend, Nicole Millay and her father, Mr. Millay.

"It's so wonderful to meet all of you," Nicole smiled.

Kono was unsure if Nicole truly meant those words, but she was quite certain she did not like this woman. Taking a look at Chin and Danny, Kono felt alone in that opinion. At least her cousin had the dignity not to drool when introduced to Nicole, but she could not say the same for Danny.

"Ow!" Danny exclaimed, sending Kono a scowl. "What was that for," he whispered to her.

Kono shrugged in reply, wishing she could have kicked Nate instead, but he was standing out of her reach.

"I love your hair, Jamie," Nicole purred as she ran her fingers possessively down the back of his head. "It's so sexy looking."

_Get your claws off him!_ Kono screamed in her head.

"Jamie, you didn't say anything about my dress," Nicole pouted. "What do you think?" She turned slowly so he could see her from _every_ angle.

"You look fabulous, Nicole," Nate responded.

Those words crushed Kono's heart. _I look nice,_ she thought, _and Nicole looks fabulous._ Kono stood abruptly, dropping her napkin onto the floor. "Excuse me. I need to find the ladies' room."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Kono closed her eyes and took several deep breaths as she leaned on the marble counter, thankful she was the only one in the ladies' room. She wished she could splash cold water on her face, but then, what little makeup she was wearing would be ruined.

This could not be happening. Nate said he did not have a girlfriend, but how was she supposed to believe that when he and this woman seemed to be on such intimate terms.

Nicole was the definition of perfection. She was a walking cliché; unfortunately, she was real and she was ruining Kono's evening. She frowned as she thought of Nicole's perfect hair, her perfect face and those flirtatious green eyes that were constantly touching Nate. Kono shuddered at the idea.

Catching a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, she studied herself. _Why would he want me, _she thought,_ when he can have her? _Kono dabbed at a tear that threatened to escape her eye. _Pull yourself together, girl. He's just a guy. No reason to be upset. Who am I kidding? He isn't __**just**__ a guy to me. _She sighed, knowing that hiding in the ladies' room for the remainder of the evening was not an option; she needed to rejoin the others.

She smoothed out her dress and pushed back a few stray hairs that had fallen from her hair pins. "Kono Kalakaua," she said aloud, "you never shy away from a difficult situation and you're not going to start now."

Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she exited the restroom and made her way back to the table. If she had only waited a few seconds more she would not have witnessed Nicole hug Nate goodbye and secretly slip what looked like a hotel keycard into the pocket of his blazer. What was far worse, in Kono's eyes, was watching Nate smile and take Nicole's hand in his for a brief moment before saying goodbye.

Kono could not look at Nate for the rest of the evening, but she kept up with the conversation and even laughed at Danny's attempt to speak French.

Chin, however, noticed the subtle change in his cousin; her beautiful smile had faded to a simple spreading of her lips.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate found Nicole's hotel room. He glanced up and down the hall before pulling out the keycard she had slipped into his pocket earlier in the evening. He inserted it into the slot and removed it as he slowly turned the handle and opened the door.

Entering the luxurious suite, he was greeted by dim lights, soft music and the scent of Nicole's exotic perfume lingering in the air. A bottle of champagne sat chilling on the table, accompanied by two long stemmed fluted glasses and a pair of lit candles. He heard a noise to his left and from the corner of his eye he saw a wine colored streak flowing toward him. As he turned, Nicole grabbed hold of him.

"Oh, Jamie," she breathed, "I've missed you." She captured Nate's lips with her own and drew him into her passionate embrace.

**A/N: Did I leave you hanging? I hope so. Sorry. I did write a better summary for the story because the short one just doesn't do it justice. I posted it below. I hope it gives you a clearer picture of where this story is going without giving too much away. I'd love to know what you think. Thanks so much for reading.**

**Extended summary:** Steve's fiancé, Alex, has gone back to Virginia to tie up loose ends with her job and prepare for her new life in Hawaii. She has left eight year old Natalie behind to begin school, which presents Steve with the challenge of learning how to be a father. Kono's attraction to Steve's younger brother, Nate, becomes more apparent to Chin and the others, but Nate seems to be the only one not catching on.

When Paul Keller, escapes from prison, Steve can't shake the feeling that Nate knows more than he is telling. Secrets threaten to part the brothers forever, but Danny tries desperately to keep them together. When Steve's life is turned upside down and he finds himself on the wrong side of the law, he is forced to join a mysterious operative to take down their common enemy in exchange for his freedom. The rest of the Five-0 team and several other skilled professionals join in the dangerous task. But will the mission, which is meant to obtain justice, twist into a sinister plot of revenge, placing all their lives at risk?


	9. Jumping to Conclusions

**Chapter 9**

"**Jumping to Conclusions"**

The blackness of the night reflected itself in Kono's foul mood as she slammed around her kitchen preparing what should have been a delicious treat. However, the coconut ice cream sundae with a generous helping of hot fudge, whip cream and nuts was more to placate her anger toward a certain Nathan McGarrett than to provide pleasure.

"This is…an old friend," Kono said, imitating Nate's voice. "Old friend, my foot, more like a bed buddy," she said, slamming the refrigerator door with her foot. "Does he think I'm an idiot? That _woman_ practically ate him with those green eyes of hers."

Kono stopped her rant for a moment to lick the hot fudge that was stuck to the spoon. She knew she was being unfair, but what was she supposed to think. She had seen Nicole slip what looked like a hotel keycard into Nate's pocket.

"Natalie warned me about fire breathing dragons," Kono said aloud, "and my knight was just eaten alive by one. Grrr! I wonder what they're doing right now." She took a deep breath. "Kono, don't let yourself go there. I can't help it! Stop!" She held her head between her hands and closed her eyes tightly. "Don't jump to conclusions." She looked at the clock. "What _else_ would they be doing at this hour?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nicole admitted to herself that she had kissed a lot of men, but none of them could compare with her Jamie. Even now as she devoured his lips she knew kissing him forever would never be enough to satisfy her.

Smoothing her hands up his chest in an effort to help him remove his blazer, she felt his hands glide across her bare shoulders sending a tantalizing sensation throughout her whole being. She nearly went limp from the sheer joy of his touch.

_The bedroom is too far away,_ she thought. _Oh, but the couch is only a few steps from here. He won't mind._

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Kono sat on her couch in her pajamas and fuzzy slippers, holding her orange ceramic bowl filled with ice cream. Something played on the TV, but she hardly noticed because her eyes were focused on the two generous mounds of ice cream melting into white puddles in her dish.

She finally forced herself to take a bite of the cold dessert, but it did not soothe her broken heart. Her body began to shake as she tried desperately to hold back her tears. However, one small tear escaped and soon after the rest broke free.

It was stupid she told herself. It made absolutely no sense. Here she was crying over a guy who was not even hers to cry over. He had done nothing to make her think he cared for her, yet she had let herself care for him and that had been her mistake.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nicole felt dizzy with excitement as she tried to guide Nate toward the couch without having to pull her lips away from his, but he stood rooted in place. _Why is he being so difficult? _she wondered.

That is when reality rushed in and ripped her out of her fantasy. She realized Nate did not return her passionate kiss and the hands on her shoulders were pushing her away rather than drawing her near.

Nate finally managed to untangle himself from Nicole's embrace and took several steps away from her. He ran the back of his hand across his lips to wipe away the bitter taste her kiss left there. "Don't _ever_ do that again," he said, his voice low and menacing.

"I thought you would be glad to see me," she pouted.

"You know better than that."

"Maybe you will change your mind after you have some champagne," Nicole suggested, moving toward the table.

"You know I don't drink."

"That really is such a silly thing."

"If you went through what I did you'd realize it's far from silly."

"Oh, yes, the _big bad boss_ was always so hard on you." She sighed as she poured herself a glass of the chilled beverage. "It's so sad to drink alone."

"Excuse me, if I don't feel sorry for you."

"You're so hard on me, but that's why I love you," she smiled sweetly. "So, tell me, was that cute girl at the restaurant your lover?"

Nate ignored her question.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "You _are_ cheating on me."

"I couldn't possibly be cheating on you because that would imply we were actually together, which we _never_ have been or _ever_ will be."

"We're not together?" she asked innocently. "Oh, stop tormenting me."

Nate rolled his eyes at her dramatics. "The only one that's tormenting you is yourself. Why are you in Hawaii?" he demanded.

She sighed. "I came because I missed you. I talked daddy into coming with me because it's easier to spend his money that way. He loves to spoil me. I bought this today with you in mind," she purred as she twirled slowly, showing off her wine colored negligee, which molded to her feminine curves. "Do you like it?" She noticed with disappointment that his eyes never wandered from her face. "If you weren't such a gentleman we could have so much fun, Jamie."

"Don't call me Jamie," he said glaring at her.

"I love it when you look at me with such intensity," she cooed, stepping closer to him.

"You didn't answer me," Nate said. "Why are you here?"

"Is Hawaii off limits to me…oh, no, that was just for you. What are _you_ doing here?"

"Why I'm in Hawaii is none of your business. What I'm doing here in your hotel room is another matter. I may have seemed pleasant and glad to see you in the restaurant, but I only did that to avoid unnecessary questions from your father and my friends. I've told you this many times before, stay away from me."

"That's not humanly possible," she said, taking a step closer to him, so her feet nearly touched his. "You're always calling to me."

"I've never called to you. You disgust me."

His last words cut her deeply, but she would never allow him to see that. "Other men find me quite irresistible and pleasing."

"That's before you kill them."

"You make me sound so terrible," she laughed. "I don't kill _all_ of them and you know I would never hurt you."

"I find that hard to believe."

"You know I absolutely adore you." She reached out to stroke his cheek, but he knocked her hand away, much to her disappointment. "Besides, it's not like you haven't killed anyone."

"Not needlessly, like you have."

"What can I say?" she grinned. "Some girls like to shop. I like to kill people."

Nate shook his head and tossed the room keycard on the table. "I'm done here and I'm done with you."

"What about Kono Kalakaua?" she sang out as he walked toward the door. "Are you done with her?"

Nate spun around, his expression dark and foreboding. "Don't you _dare_ touch her, Nicole."

A smile spread across her wine colored lips. "Oh, I struck a nerve. Is it possible that a woman has finally put a chink in Nathan McGarrett's armor?"

"You touch her and-"

"And what?" she answered fiercely. "You'll have the boss take care of me like he did in Paris. As you can see his little intervention did a lot of good. I never was a good listener. And when I set my sights on something, it's going to be mine, one way or another."

Nate had enough of this pointless conversation. He turned and left the room.

"Run and hide, Nathan," she called after him, "the boss _always_ protects you."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate pulled the Carerra GT in front of a large house set near the ocean. He had been driving around the Island for nearly an hour and could not bring himself to go home. He needed to talk to someone who knew the real Nate McGarrett and everything about him. Exiting the car, he removed his blazer and tossed it on the seat.

He walked across the expansive lawn to the back of the house and continued through the gardens, until he reached the earthen path that led to the beach. Nate glanced back toward the house; he noticed the light in the second floor study was still on. Turning back to the path, he made his way down to the shore.

He kicked away his shoes and pulled off his socks before untucking his shirt and rolling up his sleeves. Stepping out onto the wet sand, he felt the water encircle his ankles and gently pull away the sand that his feet rested on. He closed his eyes listening to the rhythm of the waves roll onto the shore and sweep back into the ocean. As each wave lapped around his feet he wished they would carry away all his secrets, all his pain and all his fears, but he knew no earthly thing could do that.

"Nathan," his boss' voice called from behind him. "What brings you out here at this time of night?"

"Nicole," Nate answered.

"I see," the older man replied, walking up next to him. "I guess I'm not surprised she found you. She always does."

They stood in silence for a long time; no words were needed to explain the situation. It was an old issue they had discussed many times before and were still no closer to discovering an answer.

"I want it all to go away, Liam," Nate finally said. "I don't want anymore secrets. I don't want to be what I've become. It's like a living hell."

"This is the reason I didn't want you to come to Hawaii. It was hard enough for you to come here when your father was alive. I saw what it did to you when you had to keep secrets from him and how it tore you apart when he died because things weren't right between you. I don't want to see you go through the same thing with your brother. I know he is relentless. He may have believed you when you told him you didn't do anything wrong in China, but it hasn't stopped him from trying to figure out why you were there."

"What do you mean?" Nate asked.

"Your brother has quite a network of friends," Liam explained. "I've kept you well hidden, but it doesn't keep people from asking questions and your brother has been asking a lot of questions."

"Why can't he just leave it alone?"

"Would you?"

The two men looked at each other knowing what the answer would be.

"I'm at the perpetual age of seven in his eyes," Nate said. "And he still thinks he needs to protect me."

"I have to admit, Nathan, sometimes I myself see you as the boy of eight that I was first introduced to by your uncle. I think there are times even I have tried to protect you too much. And yet, you have suffered a great deal." Nate's boss paused before continuing. "A few moments ago you told me you don't want to be what you've become. Looking back, would you change your mind about the path your life has taken?"

Nate did not answer for several minutes. "Not after what I've seen _him_ do. Not after what _he_ took from me. I'll never get that back."

"You can walk away, son."

"Yeah, but I can never leave it behind."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve arrived at work that morning, late and tired. Natalie had woken him in the middle of the night with another nightmare, which had prohibited both of them from getting back to sleep, until sometime after two in the morning. He still felt stiff and sore from the wooden rocking chair, where he and Natalie had fallen asleep. When he had woken her that morning she was tired, cranky and uncooperative. She had followed him around the house whining while he had tried to get ready for work.

She had cried on the way to school and he had wondered if leaving her there was a possibility. Thankfully, as he had been trying to coax Natalie out of the truck, Grace had come running up to them. Somehow she had managed to convince Natalie they would have fun at school and she had promised her Uncle Steve he had nothing to worry about.

In that moment, Steve had to appreciate what a good job Danny had done training Grace. Steve had hoped he would do half as well as his partner had done.

Walking through the doors of headquarters, Steve spied Danny coming toward him.

"Hey, you finally made it," Danny greeted him. "I was ready to call in a missing person's report."

"Funny," Steve replied, walking toward his office.

Danny followed him uninvited. He could tell something was bothering his partner and he wanted to know what it was. "Rough night?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, I'd call it that," Steve replied.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Okay," Danny said, "but I think I have the right to know why you're going to be grouchy for the rest of the day."

"Natalie," Steve admitted, pushing open his office door.

"That wasn't so hard was it? Wait, you had Natty last night?"

"Long story."

Danny wanted to know the long story so he pried further. "How was picture drawing?"

"Not so good," Steve replied.

"How so?"

"Let's just say I found out things, but nothing that I was looking for."

"Do you want to give me a little more information?" Danny prodded. Steve was silent. "I'll take that as a 'no'," Danny said. He was quiet for a moment before he added, "How is Alex doing?" The look Steve gave him assured him he would not be saying anything on that subject either. "That great, huh? I guess I should have asked how things are between the two of you."

"Danny, don't you have work to do?" Steve asked, glancing through a file on his desk.

"No, I'm just waiting on you, so we can go over the case."

"I'm ready then."

"After you," Danny said, holding the office door open for him.

Chin met them at the computer table and they were about to begin reviewing their current case when they heard the sound of shattering glass come from the break room.

"Stupid coffee pot!" they heard Kono yell. Seconds later she came out of the room and announced, "I'm going out to get a cup of coffee. Watch out for the broken glass." She was about to leave when Danny stopped her.

"Could you get me one?" he asked her with his million dollar smile. "Please?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Hey, cuz," Chin piped in, "get one for me, too."

She rolled her eyes. "Sure."

Steve did not want to bother her, but he had to admit coffee would be nice right about now. "Kono could you-"

"That's all you need me for is to run _your_ errands!" she snapped at him. "_You_ can get your own coffee!" She turned around and stormed out of the room.

"What did you do?" Danny shouted at Steve. Turning to Chin, he asked, "Does that mean she's not getting us coffee?"

Steve frowned and shook his head in disbelief. Kono had never spoken to him that way before. Turning to his co-workers, he asked, "What's up with her?"

Danny gave Chin a look and replied, "I'm not sure it's our place to say."

"If one of my team has a problem I need to know about it."

"Well…Chin," Danny said gesturing towards him.

"I think he means you, brah," Chin replied.

"She's _your_ cousin," Danny stated.

"Will one of you just tell me what's going on," Steve demanded.

Chin looked at Danny and waited for him to cough up the information.

"Fine then," Danny conceded. "First of all, it's not a something, it's a _someone_."

"Okay, did one of you do something?"

"Why is it you naturally assume that we did something?" Danny questioned.

"Actually, I was thinking more _you_ than Chin."

Chin smirked and Danny glared at him as he defended himself. "I am completely innocent," he said, putting a hand to his chest. "You should be feeling sorry for me because my shin was on the receiving end of Kono's wrath last night and it still hurts."

"She kicked you?" Steve asked. "What did you do to make her so upset?"

"There you go again!" Danny exclaimed. "But you forget that Chin and I were not the only people with Kono last night. It was the third party that upset her."

It took Steve a second to fully realize who Danny meant by the "third party". "Nate?" he asked.

"The man does have a brain," Danny joked, throwing his hands in the air.

Steve ignored the snide comment. "My brother upset her? I don't understand."

Danny opened his mouth to continue with his roundabout answers when Chin silenced him. "Kono likes your brother. A lot."

"Okay," Steve said slowly, "but that doesn't explain why she's upset?"

Danny jumped back in. "She's jealous."

"Of what?"

"The woman!" Danny exclaimed.

"What woman?" Steve was getting irritated. "Nate doesn't know any women."

Chin and Danny exchanged a look that said 'you've got to be kidding'.

"Will you two stop looking at each other and get to the point."

"I'm pretty sure that was a woman, right, Chin?"

"Definitely," Chin nodded.

"I've had it with you two," Steve said. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your brother and this…" Danny paused, while he searched for a word to describe Nicole, "…this goddess seemed very…"

"Well acquainted," Chin finished.

Steve looked between the two of them not fully comprehending the situation and wondered what had transpired last evening that they were now finishing each others sentences. He put a hand over his eyes. "You two are giving me a headache. Where did you run into this woman?"

Chin recounted the previous evening, while Danny expounded needlessly on the woman and Kono's reaction.

"Nicole Millay?" Steve said, shaking his head. "I've never heard of her."

"Well, how close have you been to your brother in the past four years?" Danny asked.

Steve glared at Danny.

"I'm just saying it could be possible that sometime in the past four years Nate has become acquainted with this…Nicole goddess."

"_Oh_…" Steve said, as a look of understanding dawned on his face.

"What?" Danny wondered.

"Nate didn't come home until this morning."

There was a thud behind them and the sound of liquid spilling onto the floor. They turned to see Kono standing in a puddle of coffee with a look of horror covering her face.

"I'm sure nothing happened," Steve added quickly. Danny groaned and Chin shot Kono a look of concern. Steve realized he implied something _could_ have happened. "I didn't mean…um…I'm sure Nate has a logical explanation for all this.

That was it. Kono did an about face and stormed out the double doors, leaving the three men staring after her.

"Logical? Really, Steven?" Danny exploded. "Do you need help taking your foot out of your mouth?"

Steve wiped a hand over his face. "You know I didn't mean it that way. I don't know what I'm saying."

"I know what you're saying. This is you saying you're losing it," Danny explained. "Alex better get back here fast, you're falling apart."

"I'm not falling apart," Steve shot back.

The partners argued on oblivious to the fact Chin had slipped out of the room to check on Kono.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Chin found his cousin sitting outside on a bench wiping tears from her face. "Kono, are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, Chin," she said, wringing her hands together.

He sat next to her and placed a comforting hand on her arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She took a deep breath and looked up at the blue sky overhead. "There's nothing to talk about."

"How about what happened last night?" he asked.

She bit her upper lip, trying to hold back the many things she wanted to say, but it was no use. "He said I looked nice," Kono blurted out. "That's what you say to your mother."

_Oh, boy,_ Chin thought. _She has it bad._

"And he said _she_ looked fabulous," Kono continued as she slouched on the bench and crossed her arms. "Nicole is a snake, can't Nate see that? It made me sick watching the way she flaunted herself in front of him. And he just smiled!" She shook her head in disgust. "If I have to throw myself at him to get his attention then he can forget it because I'm not playing that game. I was stupid to think he was different from other guys."

"Hold on, Cuz," Chin said, "don't you think you're jumping to conclusions?"

Kono sat up straight and threw her hands in the air. "Were we looking at the same two people last night because I know what I saw."

"Do you want to know what I saw?"

"I doubt it will make a difference."

"Kono, one thing you should know about Nate is he's actually kind of shy."

She looked at him with disbelief. "You're kidding me. He didn't seem shy last night and I can't believe anyone in the McGarrett family could be shy. Come on, Chin, you're going to have to do better than that."

"I watched Nate the entire evening and he did _not_ look at Nicole the way he looked at you."

Kono rolled her eyes. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"You know I'm not in the habit of just saying things to make people feel better. When Nate looked at you it was with admiration, but when he looked at Nicole I didn't see that. In fact, I didn't see anything, not even when he smiled at her."

"So he's just good at covering up how crazy he is about her."

"Listen, Kono, I don't know who Nicole is or what she means to Nate, but from where I sat there's nothing between them, at least on his part."

"How did you see all that and I didn't?" Kono challenged him.

"Jealousy has a way of clouding our judgment," Chin replied.

She sighed. "Well, I still want to know why he was out all night."

"That's really none of our business, Kono, but Nate was always a good kid I'm sure it was nothing."

"He's definitely not a kid anymore," Kono pointed out, "and Nicole is not the kind of woman you say no to."


	10. Unexpected

**Chapter 10**

"**Unexpected"**

Steve sat at his desk trying to figure out how he had been left behind to do paperwork while Danny and Chin had teamed up to follow a lead. They seemed to have bonded recently in a way Steve did not understand. He thought it was strange, especially after he heard Chin say something about Danny being his sidekick. Not that Steve minded; it was just…strange.

He tapped his fingers on the desk trying to ignore the fact that Kono was in the main room at the surface table doing something he considered suspicious. She kept glancing at him when she did not think he was looking, which made him wonder what she was up to.

As he became more restless he swiveled his chair from side to side. He would give anything for a reason to get outside and escape from the monotonous paperwork and boredom of this slow case. He was the boss, of course, and he could skip out if he wanted to, but he liked to lead by example.

Finally, his need to move and his curiosity about what Kono was doing won out. He stood up and went to investigate what had captured her attention.

She heard him coming and before he could get a good look at the screen she swiped her hand across the surface table removing the evidence of what she was viewing.

"What are you doin'?" he asked, inclining his head toward the screen.

"Nothing," she replied nonchalantly.

"Then the things you had up on the screen have something to do with our case?"

Kono looked away for a moment and bit her top lip before swiping her hand across the table again. She watched her boss' eyes widen with surprise as several articles, pictures and a driver's license for Nicole Millay appeared on the screen. She waited for a reprimand, but none came.

Steve understood why Danny described Nicole as a goddess. He was amazed that his little brother, who never had time for girls, knew a woman like this. He cleared his throat. "So…you've been looking into Nicole Millay."

"Yeah," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Do you mind if I help?"

Kono looked at him with amazement. "You wanna help?"

"Sure, why not. I'm a little curious about her myself. What have you found out so far?"

Kono was more than happy to answer that question and she launched into an informative monologue, just like she would for a suspect. "She's a twenty-five year old party girl. There's no mention of her being employed, doing volunteer work or being connected with any charities. She's the only child of Edward and Silvia Millay. The mother is deceased and the father is a real-estate tycoon. He's worth millions. And his daughter seems to take full advantage of that. She spent 100,000 dollars on a party for her dog last year."

"Her dog?" Steve questioned Kono.

"Yeah, her dog, which she accidentally ran over three days later with her car."

Steve shook his head in disbelief. "And my brother knows _her_?"

"So it seems. He did refer to her as an _old_ friend." Kono's sarcasm was not lost on Steve.

"Hey, about earlier, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I really didn't mean to imply…what I implied."

Kono sighed. "Thanks, boss. I'm sorry for snapping at you. I was just…"

"You don't need to apologize. I understand." Steve crossed his arms and studied the screen for a few moments. "Does um….Nate know how you…feel?" He glanced over at her hoping that was okay to ask.

She tucked some of her hair behind her right ear. "I doubt it."

He nodded his head. "You know," he began, "I teased Nate once about the fact he didn't have a girlfriend and he said to me, 'when I find the right girl you'll be the first to know' and then he told me to quit bugging him. He's never said anything to me about Nicole."

Kono was grateful to her boss for trying to make her feel better when he really did not have to. However, there was one thing that she wondered about. "She called him 'Jamie'. Is that a nickname?"

Steve's brow furrowed. "He let someone call him 'Jamie'? Are you sure?"

"Positive," Kono answered. "Does that have some significance?"

"Yeah, it does. Our mother called him that."

"Oh…so it's a _special_ name."

Steve nodded his head in reply, returning his attention to the screen. He could not shake the feeling that there was more to this Nicole Millay than was evident. She was nothing like a woman he thought Nate would be attracted to, but then he did not seem to know his brother as well as he thought. Could Nate have changed that much? He made the decision to check this woman out more thoroughly.

"Kono, let me know if you find out anything else," Steve said.

"McGarrett, it's your lucky day," a voice interrupted them. The two Five-0 members turned around to face the prince of sarcasm, Jason Lynch, who was accompanied by Governor Pat Jameson. Lynch held up his hands. "Before you pull your weapons on me, I come in peace."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"You're doing what!" Steve exclaimed.

"Commander, please calm down," Governor Jameson directed.

"Why don't you take a seat," Lynch suggested. "You look pale."

"Don't tell me what to do in my office, Lynch," Steve replied.

"Fine," Lynch said. "I'll say it again slowly. This is a courtesy call to tell you that tomorrow I will be taking Paul Keller to the airport, and then flying him away," he said stretching his arms out like airplane wings, "back to Langley where I will…oh, I actually can't tell you what I'm gonna do with him."

"Paul Keller isn't going anywhere," Steve told him. "He is going to stay here and stand trial and be convicted of his crimes."

"In your perfect little world, perhaps, but not in mine."

Steve looked to the governor. "You're going to let him walk in here and take Keller away, just like that?"

"We're talking about an order from the President," she replied.

"What order?"

Lynch began to reach inside his blazer. His movement caused Steve to move for his gun. "Will you relax," Lynch said, slowly opening his blazer. "Look," he smiled, "no gun. See. _Paper_." He waved the white folded paper in front of Steve. "For you."

Steve snatched the paper from the agent's hand and read the orders. "You expect me to believe the President of the United States signed this?"

"I don't care what the hell you believe, but I'm taking Keller and there's nothing you can do about it." He smiled as he watched Steve try to control his anger.

"Governor, do you really think the President signed this order?" Steve questioned her. "I'm sure his pen never touched the paper."

"Regardless, of what we think, it's out of my hands," she replied. "And I want you to leave it alone."

"_Completely alone_," Lynch added. "If you come anywhere near our little parade, HPD has orders to arrest you."

Steve opened his mouth to protest, but the governor cut him off. "Commander, that was not a request that was an order." Lynch smiled in triumph, but his victory was short lived when the governor added, "However, Agent Lynch, the rest of Commander McGarrett's team _will_ be allowed to accompany Keller to the airport."

Lynch seemed displeased, but not surprised. "Fine, we'll take the Commander's little crime fighters along. I'm sure I don't need to tell you to keep this quiet," he said to Steve. "We wouldn't want any complications, now would we?" He turned to leave, but could not resist adding one last jab. "Oh, McGarrett, I'll be sure to kiss Alex 'hello' for you when I see her. Ciao."

Steve watched the agent make his exit. He was already furious and that little comment Lynch made about Alex did not help.

If Keller had been a regular citizen, he would be standing trial here in Hawaii, not getting some free pass to Virginia. Although, one had to wonder what fate awaited him. A jail cell might be considered paradise to what he could be facing. But Steve wanted justice and this was not it.

"I'm sorry, Steve," Governor Jameson said. "There is nothing I can do."

Steve looked to his left for a moment in an effort to compose himself. Thoughts of what Keller had done to Alex and Natalie raged in his mind. _They're letting him walk,_ he thought. _And she's going along with it._

"Steve, I know this is hard for you," she continued. "I'm sure Hannah and Henri wouldn't want this either, but that's the way it is."

"With all due respect, ma'am, you don't know the extent of Keller's crimes."

Governor Jameson studied the man she had put in charge of her task force. For a moment, she saw him not as Commander Steven J. McGarrett, but simply as a man deeply affected by the wrong doings of Paul Keller. If it had been up to her, she would have handed him over to Steve and let him give out the appropriate punishment. "You're right, I don't know everything he has done, but this is something even I can't manipulate. You need to leave this alone. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said reluctantly.

"Perhaps you can spend your Saturday morning with that adorable little girl Hannah keeps telling me about," the governor suggested. Steve nodded halfheartedly as she continued, "Oh, and I hear congratulations are in order."

Steve searched his mind frantically for the reason he was being congratulated, but he came up blank. "Ma'am?"

She smiled. "You are getting married aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah," he replied, feeling like a complete idiot, "thank you, Governor."

"Have a good afternoon, Steve," she said and left the room.

Steve was hardly alone for ten seconds before Danny, who had just returned, burst in. "What the hell was Lynch doing here and why did he say he would see us soon?"

Steve groaned quietly. "I need some fresh air." He brushed passed Danny, focused on making it outside, so he could process what had just happened.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve settled under a kapok tree in as secluded a spot as one could find in a public place. Resting his back against the trunk of the tree, he tried to make sense of the recent turn of events. He reasoned he would have to put Keller out of his mind in order to function in the hours ahead. Too many people depended on him. He had to keep it together.

Although, trying to forget one problem only uncovered another lurking in the back of his mind. His conversation with Alex last evening had ended badly and he was not sure what he could do to make things better. Telling her about Wo Fat was certainly not an option at this point, but he also knew when Alex set her mind to uncover something, it would be like trying to hold back the waves of the ocean to keep her from doing so.

He pulled out his phone, but he could not bring himself to call her. He could sit here all day and avoid calling her or, "You can just do it, McGarrett," he said aloud.

He pulled his legs up so he could rest his arms on his knees. He tapped his phone against his forehead and let his mind wander for a few minutes. Sitting with himself in an uncomfortable silence was not something he enjoyed, in fact, he hated this indecisive part of himself where he wrestled with relational issues.

Before he made up his mind whether or not to call Alex, the decision was made for him. His phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw a pair of sparkling blue eyes looking back at him. Alex was calling _him_.

"Hey," he answered.

"Hi," she replied.

The silence that followed was painful.

"I'm sorry," they said at the same time.

"Look, Alex," Steve began, "I know I shouldn't keep things from you-"

"Steve, if you can't tell me, then don't and we'll leave it at that."

"Really?" Steve said with a note of disbelief. "What made you change your mind?"

"We never said 'goodnight' or 'I love you' last night," she said quietly. "I don't ever want to regret that I didn't say those words to you because we were at odds with each other. I trust you, and I know if you don't want me to know something you have good reason for it. So, I'm just gonna leave it alone."

Steve knew this was very difficult for her. "Alex, I don't know what to say."

"Then tell me you still love me."

"You know I do," he assured her. "I can't wait until you come home."

She chuckled. "You know 'home' has a really nice sound to it."

Her laughter pulled him out of his gray mood. "Hey, what do you think, if on Sunday, after Natty and I pick you up at the airport, we'll have a semi-romantic dinner at home. Then Natty can play in the water, while we sit on the beach together and you can fall asleep in my arms." He was not sure, but he thought he heard her sniffle. What was so sad about his excellent idea? "Alex, are you alright?"

"Please don't be upset with me." She was crying. "I'm overwhelmed. I can't get everything done here, I really thought I could. Two of my sisters have been at my house everyday helping me, but there are still so many things to do here and at work…I won't be back until the end of next week." She waited for him to respond, but he said nothing. "Please, tell me you didn't hang up." She waited again. "I hate it when you do this, say something."

He stood up and glanced around as if searching for the right words to say. "I'm coming to get you."

"You can't, Natty needs you there."

"What about what I need?" He should have slammed his teeth down on his tongue before he spoke those words. This was not what Alex needed to hear at the moment. She was stressed enough. He knew she was not one to cry when giving unwanted news, but he needed her and he refused to apologize for that.

Wiping a hand over his face as if trying to remove his needs for the moment, he said, "Alex…just let me know when you'll be at the airport and I'll be there."

"Okay," she said in a soft voice.

"I'll tell Natty, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Thank you. I was dreading the thought of having to do that."

"Hey," he cleared his throat. "I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, alright."

"Okay," Alex replied with disappointment. "I love you."

"Love you, too." Steve ended the call, but he was not ready to go back to the confines of the office. His mind was on overload. He needed time to process what Alex had just told him. He sighed. _I guess this can count as my lunch break_.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Jason Lynch was quite pleased with himself as he drove to his destination. He confessed he enjoyed irritating Steve McGarrett. If only he had a picture of the SEAL's face when he made that last jab about kissing Alex. The photo would have been rewarding, but kissing Alex Reilly would be spectacular.

He turned left onto a shaded driveway and came to a stop at an iron gate. Lowering his window, he punched in the numerical code on the keypad and waited as the gates slowly separated. Driving through the opening, he followed the road until it curved in front of a large house. He parked behind a silver Corvette and climbed out of his vehicle, then he walked up the landscaped path to the front door.

Lynch was admitted to the house by an elderly gentleman. "Alfred, it's been too long. How are you old man?"

"If you address me as old or Alfred one more time, I will cut out your tongue," the older man threatened in a calm voice. "Is that understood, _Mr. Adams_?"

"Aw, Alfie, let's not go throwing real last names around, shall we," Lynch said, edging away from the man. "Where are Batman and the Boy Wonder?"

"If you mean Mr. Hamilton and Mr. McGarrett, they are in the study."

"That's disappointing. I expected them to be in the Batcave."

The older man rolled his eyes. This agent was number two on his list of most bothersome agents and sadly that list was quite long. _They just don't make them like they used too_, he thought.

Lynch found the two men he was seeking, playing a game of darts, which he gladly interrupted. "I've taken care of the problem," he said, making himself comfortable in a chair. "The "President's" signature on an important looking document always does the trick." He looked at Nate. "You should have seen your brother's face. It was priceless."

Nate did not respond, but his boss did. "I did not give you permission to antagonize Commander McGarrett. You were simply to inform him of the situation."

"I did," Lynch said innocently, "the situation was apparently antagonizing to him." The look the boss gave him should have been enough to silence him, but Lynch was not so easily persuaded. "Mr. Hamilton, may I remind you that when your previous plan to break Keller out of prison fell to pieces because of an _unwilling __party_," he looked at Nate, "I was the one who fixed the problem. It will be less messy this way. You'll be thanking me later," he smiled.

William Hamilton or Liam, as he was known to his close friends, was a patient man, but this young agent stretched his patience to the limit and reminded him of someone else he would rather forget. "So, I imagine we have you to thank for the success of procuring Keller?"

"Please, hold your applause," Lynch smirked. "All this praise is killing me."

"If only it would," Mr. Hamilton replied, throwing a dart at the board.

"Well, excuse me, if I outdid the Boy Wonder," Lynch said as he rested his feet on a footstool. "I had no idea that wasn't allowed."

"Is there a reason you are still here, Mr. Adams?"

"McGarrett, is he always this snippy with you?"

"Close the door on your way out," Mr. Hamilton ordered.

"Do you always let him talk for you?"

Nate did not respond as he twisted a dart between his fingers.

"Vow of silence, huh?" Lynch questioned.

"Don't let the door hit you on your way out," Mr. Hamilton said.

"Life is so rough when your boss is outranked by the infamous William Hamilton. I'll be glad to get back to my day job."

"And so will the rest of us," Mr. Hamilton replied.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny sat tapping a pencil against his desk, while he read through a file concerning the new person of interest in their case. The problem was their POI, Trevor Wheatly, had disappeared. This case was beginning to get old. Every time they acquired a new lead it only led to another dead end.

The tired detective rubbed his eyes before glancing up into the main room. Steve had not come back yet and Danny was beginning to worry about him. He already had a suspect that was MIA; he did not need his partner disappearing as well. Tossing his pencil on the desk, he shoved back his chair and marched out of his office to locate Steve.

Danny finally found his missing partner sitting on a bench outside, looking a little overwhelmed. "Hey, Steve, what are you doing out here?"

"Lunch break."

"You're not eating and you don't take lunch breaks, what's wrong?"

"My whole day," Steve responded, staring off into the distance.

Danny sat next to him and leaned back, crossing his arms. "You wanna talk about it?"

Steve pressed his lips together in concentration. He knew Danny needed to be filled in about Keller's departure from Hawaii, but what came out of his mouth was, "Alex isn't coming back."

Danny's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?" he said leaning forward on the bench. "Steve, I'm so sorry. Is there's anything I can do for you or- wait, what's gonna happen to Natalie?"

Steve was perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

"You said Alex isn't coming back."

"I meant she had to postpone her flight until next weekend."

Danny put his hands over his face for a moment. "Why didn't you say so?"

"All I said was that she wasn't coming back. You're the one who jumped to conclusions."

Danny threw his hands in the air. "You can't just say 'Alex isn't coming back' without using any qualifiers."

"What?" Steve frowned at him.

"Just forget it." Danny took a deep breath trying to calm his pounding heart. "And please, don't do that to me ever again, okay."

Steve shrugged, not fully understanding what he had done wrong. "Okay."

"Do you mind telling me what our favorite CIA agent was doing here?"

Just the mention of Lynch rekindled Steve's anger. He clenched his jaw as he selected his words carefully. "The CIA is taking Keller to Virginia."

"What?" Danny exclaimed. "How can they do that? Can't the governor do something?"

Steve shook his head. "There's nothing anyone can do." He told Danny everything else he knew and ended with the fact that he himself could not take part in transporting Keller to the airfield.

"So, the three of us can go, but you can't," Danny said. "Do I need to be worried about what you'll be doing tomorrow morning?"

"No…" Steve could barely say the words. "I'll be at home…with Natty."

"You gonna be okay?"

Steve was tired of not being okay, but he answered as he always did. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

The two men sat in silence for several minutes as Steve tried to push aside his frustration about everything that had happened in only half a day. Natalie had been miserable that morning. She had acted more like a two year old than the eight year old she was. At one point, he found himself staring out the kitchen window as she clung to him and cried, uttering unintelligible words. He had wondered if there was some medal of valor that parents received when their children were fully grown and gone from home.

His day had gone downhill from there when he accidentally upset Kono. Then Lynch had dropped the bomb about taking Keller and informed him he could not be part of transporting the rogue agent. The final blow came from Alex. It was not intentional it was just how things worked out.

He decided his day needed to end better than it began.

"Danny, what are you doin' tonight?" Steve asked. "Unless you have plans with Chin."

Danny gave him a confused look. Then shaking his head he asked, "Why are you gonna need a designated driver?"

"No," he said firmly. "I'll be at home."

"Oh," Danny smirked, "so you want a drinking buddy?"

"Why are you assuming I'm going to be drinking? I have Natalie."

"Just looking out for you. What'd you have in mind?"

"How about a couple of steaks on the grill and a few laughs."

Danny stared at his partner. "Laughs? With you?"

Steve frowned. "Do you want to come over or not?"

"Hey, free food, I'm there for you, buddy."

"Bring Gracie with you if you can, Natty will like that."

"I'm sure I can work something out. After all Grace would be playing with a friend and Rachel is big on child socialization. You know, Steven," Danny said placing a hand on his partner's shoulder, "I like the fact that you have a little girl and I have a little girl and our little girls are friends and we're friends and-"

"I get it, Danny," Steve interrupted him. "Now let's get back to work."

**A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait. I had a case of writer's block that I hope is gone now. Enjoy the chapter and thank you for reading and reviewing.**

**I wanted to thank the anonymous reviewer, Caseofmistakenidentity, your comments made my day. I know you said you don't usually review, but it means a lot for writers to hear what readers think, so I appreciate you taking the time to do it. And I'd love to hear more of your thoughts. :)**

**And thanks to my beta Shakespeare's Lemonade for taking time out of her busy schedule to read over my chapters.**


	11. The Calm

**Chapter 11**

"**The Calm…"**

Natalie was adamant that one could not work in the kitchen unless they were properly outfitted with an apron. Steve was just as adamant about not wearing one. But despite his opinion, the eight year old searched the entire kitchen until she found two aprons tucked away in the back of a drawer. She held them up for him to see.

"Which one do you want to wear, Daddy?" she asked, smiling brightly.

He looked at his choices. His face clearly stated how he felt.

"You don't like either one?" Natalie frowned. "I guess this one is more my size." She held up a blue apron that Steve's mother had made for Nate. "And this one is…"she grinned, "girly." She giggled. "Mommy wouldn't even wear this one."

"I think you're right, so why don't you put it away."

"But you have to wear an apron. There aren't any others, Daddy. _Please_."

Steve looked at the white apron Natalie clutched in her hand. It was trimmed with lace and had red cursive writing on the front. He would rather not put it on.

Natalie saw the refusal on his face and decided to try a tactic not even he could turn down. She put her arms around his waist and looked up into his face, smiling sweetly. She blinked a few times as if holding back tears. "Daddy, do it for me," she begged.

_This is ridiculous,_ he thought. For a man who had been trained to withstand intense interrogation he was cracking under the gaze of those teary light blue eyes. "Hand it over."

"I'll tie it for you," she offered.

Reluctantly Steve pulled the apron over his head and allowed Natalie to tie it. "Don't make that knot too tight."

"I won't."

At that moment they heard the front door open and Nate called, "Hey, where is everybody."

"We're in here," Natalie said.

Nate walked through the kitchen door and stopped abruptly as he took in the frilly apron his brother was wearing. Steve closed his eyes for a moment and sighed, waiting for his brother to comment.

"I am _not_ doing what that apron says," Nate responded. "And really, Steve, it looked much better on mom." He grinned.

"Thanks," Steve muttered. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have dinner to make."

"Are you having dinner with us, Uncle Nate?" Natalie asked.

"Yeah, if you want me, too," he answered.

"Of course we do."

"Okay, I'll be here. Oh, by the way I have to run a few errands tomorrow morning for Danny's new Camaro. I thought I would do it early, so if you want, the three of us can do something together."

"Yes!" Natalie exclaimed.

"I have something in mind," Steve said.

"Good," Nate agreed. "I'll be down in a little while to give you a hand with dinner."

"But we don't have another apron," Natalie informed him.

Nate laughed as he left the kitchen.

The steaks marinated in the refrigerator while Steve and Natalie prepared a salad. The little girl cut up cucumbers and grated carrots as she chattered on. Steve listened to her tell him about the spelling bee and the science experiment she took part in at school. He was thankful she survived the whole day without needing to leave.

He decided Natalie was on an emotional roller coaster. Right now she was happy, but he wondered how she would be at bedtime and during the night; especially after he told her Alex was not coming back for another week. He hated to ruin her happy mood, but now was probably the best time to tell her.

"Natty, I want to tell you something important," he said.

She looked at him with a wary expression.

"Your mommy can't come home until next weekend." He watched her face as she processed the information.

"Why?"

"She has a lot to do with packing everything up."

Her mouth sagged into a frown. "But I miss her. Can we go help her?"

"She wants us to stay here, so you can get settled."

"I don't want to get settled. I want mommy."

"I know you do, sweetheart, believe me, but we need to hold out for a little bit longer."

Her tear filled eyes gazed up at him. "I need a hug, Daddy."

"Come here," he said, taking her in his arms. He held her tightly and went on to tell her, "I do have some good news."

She sniffled. "What?"

"You get to stay here with me, and the room you're sleeping in, we're gonna fix it up for you. What do you think about that?"

"Where will your sister sleep?"

"She doesn't live here, you do. And I thought tomorrow we could get some stuff for your room."

"Without mommy? Do you know what to buy?"

"Yeah, I think I can handle it and if I don't know what to do, I'm sure you can help me."

"Thank you, Daddy, but I'm still gonna miss mommy."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The outdoor table was set and Steve was in the kitchen making lemonade. He wondered where Natalie had gone. She had forgotten to put the salt and pepper shakers on the table. He heard the front door open. "Natty?" he called.

"It's me, Steven," Danny replied. "Natty's outside with Nate and Grace."

Steve looked down at the apron he was wearing. He desperately tried to pull it off, but the more he pulled the tighter the knot became. He cursed under his breath.

Danny walked into the kitchen. It was too late to remove the apron.

Danny snorted. "Well, if it isn't Martha Stewart."

Steve rolled his eyes and waited for Danny to continue.

"What does it say?" Danny asked. "'Kiss the cook'?"

"Danny, get out," Steve ordered.

"Are you missing Alex that much that you're advertising for affection?" Danny joked. "Look, if that's what I have to do to get dinner than you can forget it. Now take that off before Grace sees it. It's disturbing."

"I can't untie it."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"Untie it," Steve demanded.

"Come here, babe," he smirked.

"Danny, I'm gonna kill you."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Dinner was finished and the little girls dragged Nate off to play in the sand while Steve and Danny cleared the table. Then the two men each grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and headed outside.

"Are these invitations to dinner going to end when you and Alex get married?" Danny asked, settling in a chair. "Because I kind of like this." He swallowed a sip of his beer and continued, "Did I tell you how great those steaks were?"

"At least five times, Danny," Steve answered.

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure I complimented the cook because I sure as hell am not kissing him."

"Will you drop that already," Steve demanded. "I told you Natalie wanted me to wear that apron, so I did. Now let it go."

Danny chuckled. "I wish I had taken a picture."

"And I wish you'd shut up."

"Well, now that we have some one on one time, Martha," Danny grinned and Steve glared at him, "I want to know about you and Alex back in the day."

"What do mean back in the day?"

"Come on, Steven, people say that when they're referring to years ago. You know like when the two of you were young and crazy and together."

"What are we now?"

"Well, you _are_ approaching middle age."

"Middle age?"

"Yeah, you know when you start slowing down, muscles get flabby, and your hair starts turning gray."

Steve touched his hair. "What do you mean gray?"

Danny flicked a spot where a few gray hairs were peaking through. Steve swatted his hand away.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Danny laughed, "I'm sure Alex won't mind an older, distinguished looking man."

"A few gray hairs do not make a person old, Danny," Steve informed his partner.

"So are you gonna tell me or not?" The blond haired detective would not be dissuaded in his quest for more information.

Steve glanced at him. "Why do you need to know?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it's because I'm curious about what you were like, and what possibly attracted a woman like Alex Reilly to you. What was your first date anyway? A trip through an obstacle course or did you take her to a shooting range?" Danny was joking, but when he saw the sheepish look on Steve's face he threw his hands up and exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh, tell me you didn't do either of those!"

"Not on the first date," Steve defended himself. "Besides she was the one who wanted to go to the shooting range."

Danny snorted. "I hope she beat your score." Steve did not answer and Danny continued, "She beat you didn't she."

"I was having an off day," Steve said as he took a swig of his beer.

"An off day, huh?" Danny shook his head. "All I can say is Alex is an amazing woman." He extended his hand and prodded again, "Well? What about that first date?"

"I took her for pizza, okay. Are you happy?"

Danny smiled, "_And_..."

Steve sighed. "Then we played skee ball."

"Skee ball and pizza? Really, Steven? How romantic is that?"

"Hey, when two people have fun together anything can be romantic,"

Danny's laughter filled the evening air. "I can see married life with you is going to be exciting. Taking out the trash or cleaning the garage is going to be your idea of a romantic interlude." He was having too much fun at Steve's expense. Looking at his partner's frown, the detective reminded him, "You did invite me over for steak and a few laughs, remember?"

The SEAL took another sip of his beverage and nodded slowly, "Yeah, I did." They were quiet for a time until Steve cleared his throat and turned to Danny. "Hey," he began, "I wanna ask you something."

"Is it marriage related?"

"Sort of."

"If you're going to ask me if I regret getting married, then the answer is no because I probably wouldn't have Grace and my life would be nothing without her. So if you're nervous about this because marriage is a big commitment-"

"Danny," Steve interrupted him, "I just wanted to ask if you'd be my best man."

"Me?" Danny questioned. "You want me to be your best man?"

"Yeah."

Danny placed a hand on his chest. "I am honored you want me to stand up with you," he replied, "but don't you think you should ask Nate, after all he is your brother."

"I was thinking both of you could be my best man."

"It's 'best man' not 'best men'," Danny informed him. "You're only supposed to have one. That's how it is done."

Steve frowned. "Where does it say that? Believe me Alex is going to break more wedding rules than I will. So are you in or not?"

Danny looked over at Nate, who was down by the water with the girls. "I don't want to come between you and your brother, so check with him first. But I would be happy to be one of your _best men_."

"Thanks," Steve smiled.

The sun traveled to the edge of the horizon, setting the low lying clouds ablaze with color. The two men watched the little girls and Nate finish their castle of sand. The waves rolling in provided the background music for what had been an enjoyable evening. Steve's day that had begun poorly was ending decidedly well.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie and Grace were disappointed when Danny announced it was time to leave and they begged to be allowed to play together again soon. The little girls were assured that would happen sometime in the near future.

"Thanks for dinner, Uncle Steve," Grace said.

A puzzled look crossed Natalie's face as she walked Grace to the car. "Why do you call him 'Uncle Steve'?"

Grace shrugged. "I don't know. I guess because he's daddy's best friend."

"Oh, so do I call your daddy 'Uncle Danny', because he's my daddy's best friend?"

"I think so," Grace reasoned. "Do you think I can call Uncle Steve's brother 'Uncle Nate'?"

"Sure, he'd probably like that."

"I have an Uncle Matt, but Danno says we can't see him anymore," Grace said. "I don't know why."

"That's sad," Natalie replied. "I don't know what I'd do if my daddy said we couldn't see Uncle Nate anymore."

The little girls reached the car and hugged each other. Danny made one last comment about the steaks and the apron incident before getting in his car and pulling out of the driveway. Natalie waved goodbye until the car was out of sight and then taking Steve's hand they went inside.

"Natty, go get ready for bed, while I finish the dishes," Steve said.

Natalie was not pleased with the thought of going to bed, but she scampered up the stairs anyway. Stopping outside Nate's room, she peeked in and saw him sitting on the bed reading. She hurried to her room and quickly changed into her pajamas and grabbed the book she had been reading. She went back to Nate's room and knocked on the door.

"Hey, Natty, come on in," Nate said.

She took that as an invitation to hop on his bed and snuggle in next to him. He smiled at her.

He glanced over to see the cover of her book and asked, "What are you reading?"

"_The_ _Doll People_," she replied. "Do you want to read it to me?" She hoped he would say yes. She loved to read, but she loved being read to even more.

Nate fondly remembered his mother reading him tales of heroic people, talking creatures and extraordinary events that made his imagination come alive. "Sure," he answered. Taking the book from her, he opened to the page where a bookmark rested. Natalie lay back on the pillows, waiting for him to begin.

The story was about an antique doll family with a mystery to solve, a missing person to recover and a new plastic doll family to become acquainted with. They sat together reading until Natalie decided she needed to ask her uncle a question.

"Why are you sad?" she asked, interrupting Nate in mid-sentence.

He looked down at her. "I seem sad to you?"

She nodded her head. "Did you not have a good dinner with Kono last night?"

"I had a nice dinner and Chin and Danny were there, too."

Her eyes widened. "Does Kono already have a boyfriend?"

Nate rolled his eyes. "No, she said she didn't."

"You asked her?" Natalie said with excitement.

"No," Nate said, trying to remember how he knew that bit of information. "She just happened to mention it to someone we were talking to."

"So is she going to be your girlfriend?"

"It's not that simple."

"Why isn't it?" Natalie demanded, crossing her arms. Her posture reminded Nate of his brother. "You don't have a girlfriend and she doesn't have a boyfriend. You need each other, Uncle Nate."

"It takes more than needing each other," Nate said. He was a little uncomfortable with this conversation and wanted to change the subject without being too obvious. "Besides I have you to keep me company."

She perked up at that comment and told him the news that she would be staying here from now on and they could spend a lot of time together. "Does that make you happy?" she wondered. His brow creased deeply and he gave no reply. Natalie sighed. "Does this have anything to do with you being Batman?"

He smiled and wrapped an arm around her. "I'm just tired."

"Will you be happy in the morning after you sleep?" Natalie looked at him expectantly.

He was saved from answering that question when Steve came in and told Natalie it was time for bed. Nate saw the reluctance in her eyes as she kissed him goodnight and left the room with Steve.

No longer feeling like reading, Nate went down to the garage, leaving behind the happy sound of Natalie's giggles.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"Daddy, why is Uncle Nate so sad?" Natalie asked as Steve tucked her into bed.

"Is he?" he answered.

"Yes, and he won't tell me why. I don't like it when people are sad because it makes me sad, too."

"I don't really know."

"Why not, you're his big brother you _should_ know."

"Well, sometimes big brothers don't know everything."

"If I had a big brother he would always know why I was sad and I would always know why he was sad. That's just how it would be."

"Life would be simpler that way wouldn't it?"

"Does that mean Uncle Nate doesn't know why you're sad?"

"You think I'm sad, too."

"Yes. Is it because you don't have a mommy and daddy anymore? Because I would be sad if I didn't have you and mommy."

Steve gazed at the little girl for several moments, uncertain how he should respond. Natalie had a way of bringing complicated questions about love, life and death down to such a simplistic level it amazed him. He knew the scars he carried from the deaths of his parents and he guessed to some degree it did make him sad. He wondered about Nate. He had been especially close to their mother, how much had it affected his life to lose her?

"Daddy?" Natalie said, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, sweetheart."

"Do you miss them?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, I do."

"Do you need me to tuck you in bed tonight?" Natalie asked. "Sometimes I tuck mommy in when she's sad and it always makes her feel better."

Steve smiled and placed his hands on either side of her head and pulled her close. Kissing her forehead, he said, "Thanks, Natty, but I'll be fine. Besides we have a big day tomorrow, so you need to get to sleep."

She frowned. "But what if I get scared?"

"I'm right down the hall."

"Okay, but will you read me a story first?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate sat in the old 1974 Mercury Marquis, clutching the steering wheel. He stared out the passenger window, caught up in a memory that always resurfaced when he came into this garage. He had been six years old, but even at that young age he had a great interest in knowing how things worked. He could almost see his father standing by the work bench gathering his tools like he had been on that day so many years ago.

"_Daddy, can I help you, please?" Nate begged. _

"_Why don't you go see what your brother and sister are doing," Jack McGarrett said to his son._

"_Steve says I'll get squished if I play football with him and Mary's ignoring me. _

"_Why don't you go help your mother." _

"_I always help mommy. I want to help you. I was reading all about cars with mommy yesterday and now I wanna fix one."_

_ Jack gave his son a skeptical look. He did not doubt Nate's eagerness to help him; he just did not have time to explain everything to him and knowing Nate he would want to know **everything**. _

_ "Nate, fixing cars is complicated. You can't just read about it one day and do it the next."_

_ "But, Daddy, how can I learn if no one teaches me?" _

_His son's earnest look caused Jack to change his mind. "You can watch, alright?"_

_ Nate lunged forward and wrapped his arms around his father. "Thank you, Daddy. I'll be good, I promise. I won't get into anything."_

Nate turned the key in the ignition hoping it would run smoothly this time. No such luck. He had been working on the car here and there since his arrival in Hawaii and he still had not accomplished the task of getting it to run properly.

Getting out of the car, he stepped back and looked at it. The outside was beautiful, easily making one believe the inside must be as well, but Nate knew better. He realized people were like cars. They could be beautiful on the outside, but on the inside they were broken and did not function like they were meant to. _That's me_, he thought. _I'm broken._

Over the past few days, Steve had asked him several times if he was okay. He had told Steve he was, but that was a lie. He was not okay and he had not been for a long time. The sad thing was "not okay" had become the norm for him. He lived everyday feeling like a key part of himself was lost in time, in this garage, in this house where he had spent the first seven years of his life.

He had spent the rest of his childhood years and into his early adulthood trying to put himself back together. He felt it was a lost cause. He was a stranger to his own brother and sister and almost everyone he had ever met in his life. He was like a man living in the shadows. Shadows of the past and shadows of how people perceived him. It was tormenting.

The sound of the door opening pulled him from his dark thoughts. Steve came into the garage holding two bottles of beer.

"I think you worked on this car with dad more than I did," Steve said, admiring the vehicle for a moment. Then he held out one of the bottles to his brother. "I brought this out for you."

"No thanks, I don't drink," Nate said, bending down so his face was hidden behind the hood of the car.

"Oh, I didn't know," Steve said. "But I guess there's a lot about you I don't know."

Nate cringed inside, hoping this conversation would not turn into a game of twenty questions.

"Any luck getting that to run smoothly?" Steve asked.

"Not yet," Nate replied.

"Do you want a hand?"

"There really isn't much to do. You can go inside if you want."

"Nate, I came out here, so we could hang out for little while."

"Oh," Nate said. "Natty asleep?"

"Yeah, for now."

"She's a great kid."

"Yeah, she is," Steve smiled as he walked over to where Nate stood. He watched as his brother randomly adjusted and checked things that were not necessary to what he was working on. "Are you okay?"

Nate lifted his head. "Huh?"

Steve's brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"Oh sure," Nate replied, walking over to the workbench.

Steve noticed again he was doing more busy work. He decided to see how he reacted to a different question. "So who's Nicole?"

Nate looked up from what he was doing and took a moment before answering. "A friend."

Steve nodded. "Okay…so is she just a friend or a _friend_?"

"Is there a difference between the two choices?"

"Well, I thought maybe she was more than a friend. I heard she called you 'Jamie'."

Nate looked like he was going to be sick. "Did Danny tell you that?"

"Does it matter?"

Nate did not answer.

Steve took a few steps toward Nate, who backed away. The movement did not go unnoticed by Steve. "You had a late night last night?"

Nate stared blankly at his brother for a moment before answering in a firm tone. "I didn't sleep with her." The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I never said you did."

"You were thinking it."

"Okay," Steve shrugged taking another step toward him, "so maybe I did."

Nate retreated again; this time putting the car in between the two of them. "It's not like that. We went to school together."

"So this is a friend from way back in elementary school?" Nate felt the palms of his hands beginning to sweat as he realized his mistake. He did not usually mess up like that. Steve continued, shaking his head, "I don't remember you having a friend named Nicole when we all lived here and if I remember correctly you only went to school a few weeks in Boston before Uncle James tutored you at home."

"There were other kids that I hung out with."

"Hmm."

"What does it matter anyway?" Nate questioned him. "I don't interrogate you about your friends."

"I'm sorry," Steve apologized, not understanding why his brother was so defensive. "I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I guess I was just a little surprised you let someone call you 'Jamie'. You used to get mad when anyone else but mom called you that."

"Do we have to talk about this, I'm busy," he said making his way around to the front of the car.

"No, we don't. I actually wanted to ask you something."

Nate was holding his breath, fearing what his brother was about to ask. "What?"

"I'd like you to be my best man."

Nate exhaled and closed his eyes, relieved, but surprised at his brother's request. "Aren't you gonna ask, Danny?"

"I did. I'd like both of you to do it."

"Can you do that?"

"What the hell does it matter? I want you and Danny up there with me."

"Are you sure?"

"Would I really be asking you right now?"

Nate moved to his left and looked at his brother, who was now leaning against the workbench. He felt he had no right to accept, but he wanted to. "I'd be honored to do it."

"Good," Steve said. "I'll let you get back to your work." He grabbed the two unopened bottles of beer and left his brother alone with his thoughts.


	12. The Storm

**Chapter 12**

"…**The Storm"**

Early Saturday morning, Danny, Chin and Kono stood outside a back entrance to the hospital. They waited for Keller to be brought out. Moments earlier, before entering the building, Lynch had informed them to keep their "eyes peeled" for suspicious activity. He had also added, with his sarcastic humor, to shoot first and ask questions later if they ran into any trouble. The three hoped their association with Lynch would end today.

The Five-0 members would not say it aloud, but it was somewhat unsettling that Steve would not be with them on this assignment. They were not afraid, it was just the fact that an integral part of their team was missing.

Danny leaned against Chin's car with his arms crossed wondering how Steve was doing. Kono adjusted her bullet proof vest and tied back her hair. Chin, for the third time, made sure his gun was properly loaded and ready to go if necessary.

"Hey, guys," Chin said, "look who's coming."

As if on cue, the three squared their shoulders and turned to face the small procession coming toward them. Lynch looked annoyed, which was understandable, with the way Paul Keller was babbling on. Upon reaching the SUV, Lynch could tolerate no more of the rogue agent's nonsensical verbiage.

"Will you shut up!" he exclaimed, grabbing Keller by the arm.

"Hey, take it easy," Keller said weakly, "I'm an injured man."

"Really?" Lynch pulled open the back passenger door. "Let me assist your frail body into the vehicle. Watch your head." He smirked as he banged Keller's head against the door frame. "Don't forget to buckle up. Oh, I forgot you can't, your hands are tied up at the moment. Barnes," he said to the young red headed agent, "secure him and keep an eye on him for a few minutes. You _can_ do that, right?"

"Yes, sir," Barnes replied, eager to please his boss.

Lynch paused for a moment by T.J., his right hand man. "Keep an eye on the rookie. You know what happened last time."

T.J. nodded in response as he adjusted his sunglasses.

Satisfied that Keller was secure, Lynch sauntered over to the Five-0 members. "I'm a little disappointed you guys aren't wearing your superhero costumes," he commented. Turning his gaze on Kono, he smiled, "You would have looked great in satin tights…fighting for my rights."

Chin took a step forward. He was not going to let anyone take advantage of his cousin, verbally or otherwise.

"Hey, hey, hey," Danny said, grabbing Chin's arm to keep him from doing something rash.

Unfazed by Lynch's words, Kono stepped forward and stood within inches of him. "You have such an amazing way with women," she said. "I remember those comments you made to Alex Reilly when we rescued her from the warehouse."

Lynch wondered what part of him was about to be hammered by this beautiful but feisty woman. "I don't recall any," he lied.

Kono chuckled. "Oh, you don't? I was certain you would remember because it's pretty obvious, at least to me, that she means _a lot_ to you." Their eyes met. "Ooh, how do you think my boss would feel about that?"

The elfish grin playing about Kono's lips unnerved Lynch. He cleared his throat and backed away from her. "We need to get moving."

Kono smiled in triumph as she watched Lynch walk away. Danny and Chin exchanged a look of amazement.

"Are you saying Lynch is…" Danny trailed off.

"With Alex Reilly?" Chin wondered.

"Hopelessly," Kono replied.

"Wow," Danny said. "Don't tell Steve."

T.J. came up to them carrying an MP7. He was a tall, well muscled man and unlike Lynch he was dressed more for combat then a dinner date. "You discovered his weakness," he smirked.

"If you keep your eyes open you see a lot," Kono said.

"About keeping your eyes open, I would strongly suggest you three do just that," T.J. informed them. "Agent Lynch's comment about keeping your eyes peeled was not entirely a joke."

The cousins shot each other a concerned look as Danny voiced their thoughts. "Something bad is going to happen, isn't it?"

"Not necessarily," T.J. replied, "but we've picked up some chatter and it's possible that Keller's associates may try to make things difficult for us."

"Ergo the nice weapon you have there," Danny commented.

"Just stick to the plan and everything should work out fine."

Danny turned to Chin. "In other words, you might want to trade your car in for a tank. Remember the Camaro."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The Five-0 members were driving in the third of four vehicles in the convoy. They kept a close watch on their surroundings as the miles slowly clicked by. The airport was not that far away, but with the obscure route they were taking, the distance was greater. This added to the amount of nervous energy pulsating through the car.

Kono offered everyone a piece of gum, more than once. Danny finally took one to make her feel better and to keep his mouth busy, so he would not comment on Chin's erratic driving. It was at least erratic in Danny's opinion. Unfortunately, the gum did not work.

"Do you remember that line from _Star Wars_," Danny asked Chin, "you know the one where Han Solo said to Chewbacca, 'fly casual'?"

"Are you going somewhere with this?" Chin replied, glancing at Danny.

"Yeah, could you drive casually?"

"Drive casually?" Chin wondered. "Steve isn't here so you're picking on _my_ driving?"

"I'm not picking, I'm just making a suggestion," Danny said. Kono snorted and he turned around to face her. "Would you like to add to this conversation?"

She held up her hands. "No, thanks. I'll let you two work it out."

Satisfied, Danny nodded his head. "See, Chin, you're doing it."

"Doing what?" Chin asked.

"That." Danny motioned to Chin's foot. "You drive like you can't decide if you should go fast or slow."

"What?"

"You accelerate and then back off and accelerate again and back off," Danny explained. "See, you just did it again."

With narrowed eyes, Chin looked over at his blonde haired co-pilot. "Do you want to drive?"

Danny shook his head and placed a hand on his chest. "I just wanted to point out that this type of driving isn't good for your gas mileage."

Chin smiled. "You miss McGarrett, don't you?"

Danny did not know why Chin assumed he missed Steve. "What does that have to do with anything? Can't a guy make a simple observation?"

Kono patted Danny's shoulder. "It's okay, we all miss him."

In the vehicle in front of them, Lynch was thinking he had not missed Paul Keller at all. The ex-agent had not stopped talking since their departure from the hospital. Keller seemed to take great pleasure in telling the rookie agent, Barnes, stories about Lynch when he first joined the agency.

"…he was a snotty nosed kid who thought he knew it all and I got stuck with him," Keller complained. "Isn't that right J.J.?"

"Shut up!" Lynch shouted as he twisted in the front passenger seat to look back at Keller. "I don't want to hear anymore of your BS."

"J.J., these stories need to be passed on to the next generation. They're priceless."

"Enough already, you moron! And stop calling me J.J.!"

"Moron?" Keller clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. "Sticks and stones, J.J."

Lynch glanced over at T.J., who was driving; even he was amused with this conversation. That irritated Lynch all the more. "I would love nothing more than to shoot you right now, Keller."

"What's stopping you?"

Lynch turned away and faced the road. "For starters, the three people in the car behind us," he muttered.

Keller leaned forward a little and smiled. "Well, why don't you shoot them, too?"

There were many people Lynch wanted to shoot, but honestly, the three Five-0 members were not on his list. Keller was number one. Lynch wished someone else would put a bullet in him because killing your ex-boss was nasty business and those in upper management found it distasteful. Although, he knew some of them would not mind if Keller met with an accident at his hands.

He was distracted from his musings, when he noticed the lead vehicle in their convoy enter the intersection too far ahead of them.

"T.J., we're falling behind, speed up," he ordered. "We're supposed to keep it tight." He was just about to add something else when a dark blur slammed into the side of the lead vehicle, pushing it sideways through the intersection. The screeching of the twisting metal was sickening as the two vehicles became one. Before the agents had time to process what had just transpired, the force of an explosion rocked their SUV.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve listened to the waves roll onto the shore. The rhythm soothed the dull ache in his head. He winced as a bird chattered outside his bedroom window. He wondered what time it was, but he did not bother to check. He calculated it must be at least seven forty-five. Normally, he would have gone for a swim, had a shower and eaten breakfast by this time, but not today. He knew he would have to get himself out of bed and face the day, but it could wait just a little longer.

He heard a soft sigh and the sound of paper, like a page in a book being turned. Natalie sat on the bed reading. She had found her way into his room about an hour and a half ago and had not disturbed him, except to give him a good morning kiss on the cheek. Steve was glad she could amuse herself, but pretending to be asleep made him feel he was neglecting her.

Sleep had eluded him most of the night, even though Natalie had actually slept. Off and on he found himself standing at her bedroom door hoping she would wake up, so he could focus on her instead of his troubled thoughts.

The harsh reality that Keller was leaving Hawaii, without standing trial, was eating at him. Then there was the fact that Alex was not coming back tomorrow and for a whole week she would be in the same vicinity as Keller. He would be unable to protect her if Keller somehow gained his freedom and went after her. That thought made him sick. However, amidst all these clamoring thoughts he could not ignore the voice in the back of his mind nagging him about Nate.

He heard Natalie close her book and toss it aside. The bed shook slightly as she rolled over and slid off the mattress. He heard the sound of her pattering feet as she left the room and walked down the stairs.

He listened intently. Something scraped across the floor. A cabinet door slammed; then another. He strained to hear, trying to get a clue as to what she was doing. Silence.

He thought he should get up and see what she was up to, when he heard her slow footsteps coming up the stairs. He could not understand why she was climbing the stairs in such a deliberate manner; she always ran up them.

He heard a clink on the nightstand and felt the mattress compress as she settled back onto the bed. She fluffed the pillow and sighed. A few moments later, he heard a crunching sound. He imagined she was eating cereal without milk because he did not hear a spoon scrape against the bowl.

_I should be up making her breakfast_, he thought. _Well, at least she's learning survival skills. _He consoled himself with that.

On the other side of the bed, Natalie munched her cereal while conducting an orchestra with her feet. She wanted her daddy to get up because she was anxious to spend the day with him.

She turned to look at him and waved her hand in front of his closed eyes. Then taking her thumb and forefinger she inched them toward his nose, but stopped, thinking he might not like to have his nose pinched.

Her patience disappeared.

"Daddy," she finally said, "why are you pretending to be asleep?" Steve did not respond. Poking his shoulder, she spoke again, "I know you're not sleeping."

He opened his eyes slightly. "How do you know I'm not?"

"Because you just answered me," she smiled. "And you breathe different when you're asleep."

"Do I?"

"Yes. So are you going to answer my question?"

"What question?"

"Why are you pretending to be asleep?"

He rubbed a hand over his face. "I wasn't ready to get up."

Natalie popped several pieces of cereal in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "The sun is out. We could go swimming or I could get you some cereal. It's not the kind mommy buys, but it's still good." None of these things seemed to excite him. She placed the bowl of cereal on the bed and put her hand against his forehead. "Are you sick?"

"No, sweetheart."

"Well, then what's wrong?"

He tried to think how he could put it simply. "I guess I'm feeling sorry for myself."

Natalie patted his shoulder and smiled. "It's alright, mommy will be back soon and then everything will be okay."

Steve thought about her comment for a moment. No one person could make everything okay, but he knew it would help to have Alex back. He grinned. It would actually help a lot.

He raised himself up on his elbow. "So, I should get up?"

"_Yes_."

Steve cringed; Natalie's reply sounded a little too much like Mary when she was a teenager. He shook that thought away. "Last one out of bed has to make it." He threw his pillow at Natalie and sprang off the bed.

In her haste to jump off the bed, she spilled the cereal. She stood with her hand over her mouth. "Whoops."

"That is why we don't eat in bed," Steve told her. "After you pick that up, don't forget to make the bed."

* * * * * H50 * * * * *

"Whoa!" Lynch yelled, pressing his feet against the floor.

T. J. turned the wheel sharply to the left in an effort to avoid the semi that had plowed into the lead car. If the two agents had survived the collision they were certainly dead now because the vehicles had exploded.

"It seems my rescue party has arrived," Keller said. "And with style."

"Shut the hell up!" Lynch snapped. "T.J. get us out of here."

T.J. did not have a chance to reply before something punched through the back window and a white cloud began filling the vehicle. Their eyes and throats burned as they struggled to open the car doors.

Lynch gasped for fresh air. He heard the others coughing as they exited the contaminated vehicle. A wave of confusion hit them as bright flashes of light and what sounded like fireworks exploded around them. Disoriented, they stumbled to the ground, temporarily blinded. Lynch blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision, but the combination of the tear gas and the flashbangs rendered him helpless.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The deafening sound of an explosion erupted in the ears of the Five-0 team. Chin's quick reaction saved them from colliding into the rear of the SUV in front of them. He maneuvered his car into the entrance of a business and skidded to a stop.

"Is everyone okay?" Chin asked.

"My head had a date with the door, but I'm fine," Danny replied, rubbing the sore spot.

"I'm good," Kono added.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Chin stated.

"You have a bad feeling?" Danny quipped.

At that moment, something crashed through the back window of the vehicle.

"Tear gas!" Kono yelled.

They scrambled to exit the car, but it was too late to avoid the affects of the gas. Mucous drained from their noses and their eyes watered as their bodies attempted to eradicate the irritant.

The surrounding area of the vehicle was not much better. The acrid fumes of burning rubber and fuel hung in the air, gagging all those within its reach. The three struggled to breathe as they groped through the dense smoke to find each other.

"Chin, where are you?" Danny called, making his way around the front of the car.

"Over here," Chin replied.

Danny was not positive where "over here" was, but it did not sound too far away. Although, he was unsure if he could trust his ears at the moment because it sounded like he was in a bell tower. Through watery eyes, he finally made out the two forms of the cousins kneeling several feet away from the vehicle.

"Someone threw in a few smoke grenades and flashbangs along with that tear gas," Danny coughed as he joined them. "All we're missing is some-"

Gunfire broke out completing Danny's sentence. He tried to clear his vision and identify where the shots were coming from, but the smoke was too dense.

"We have to make sure Keller doesn't get away," Danny said. He knew that task was imperative. If Keller escaped it would put people they cared about in danger. However, his main concern right now was how it would affect Steve. His partner was dealing with more than his share of problems at the moment; Danny certainly did not want this added to the pile.

"I hope you have a plan," Kono said, "because driving out of here isn't an option. Someone just shot out Chin's back tires."

"I'm open to suggestions," Danny yelled.

At that moment, they could just make out a voice shouting.

Lynch was berating the rookie agent Barnes for shooting blindly into the smoke. "You could have shot one of our own! What the hell's the matter with you! Give me your weapon," Lynch screamed, snatching it from the younger man's hand.

The faint sound of sirens could be heard in the distance and Lynch knew whatever move their assailants planned to make would happen soon. He wondered what was taking the rest of his men and the Five-0 team so long to get to his position. Things were getting a little dicey in his current location and he and the three men with him needed to move. Turning to T.J., he said, "We have to-"

The rest of his words were left unspoken as a bullet caught T.J. in the chest and he slumped to the ground. Lynch surveyed the area around them. The smoke was beginning to dissipate, but it was still difficult to see at any great distance.

"T.J. are you alright?" Lynch asked, touching the man's shoulder.

T.J.'s eyes closed in response.

"Hey," Lynch hollered. "Answer me. You're fine, you're wearing a vest! Get up!"

"Armor piercing rounds," Keller stated. "I'm impressed."

"What?" Lynch said. He realized T.J.'s sleeve was now stained with blood.

"What a shame," Keller admitted, shaking his head. "I understand he had a daughter."

Lynch was well aware of that fact. He turned on the ex-agent and grabbed the front of his shirt. "If you don't shut your damn mouth I'll shut it permanently!" Then he handed the rookie back his gun. "Shoot him if he moves an inch."

Lynch knew the end was imminent and he was going to make sure Keller went out with them. He pulled out his own gun and made ready for whatever might happen next.

He realized the gunfire had ceased. That was not a good sign because the enemy had yet to get what they came for. He wiped his sweaty palm on his pant leg, while he listened to the roar of the fire as it devoured the vehicles involved in the accident.

There was a muffled cry near him and he whipped around to see Barnes hit the pavement. Moments later, Lynch himself was thrust to the ground and his gun skidded away from him.

He scrambled for his weapon as two men grabbed Keller and began pulling him away. "Not on my watch," Lynch said, retrieving his gun. From his knees, he aimed at the back of Keller's head, but he never fired his gun.

He felt a sharp pain run from his hand up into his arm as someone kicked the weapon from his grasp. Another blow followed, knocking him onto his back. From where he lay, Lynch stared up into the masked face of his executioner.

The Five-0 team had been cautiously making their way toward Lynch and his men, but their progress had been hindered by sporadic gunfire and flashbangs scattered in their path. Danny saw Keller being taken away, but it was the black hooded figure standing over Lynch that captured his attention.

The image froze in his mind. Danny winced as three shots hit their mark. Then he watched as the hooded figure vanished into the smoke leaving a dead man in his wake.

**A/N: I must apologize for my delay in posting. Life has been busy lately. I hope you liked the chapter. It's always hard for me to write action chapters because I'm not an expert on that stuff. Thank you for your continued interest in this story. **


	13. Aftermath

**Chapter 13**

"**Aftermath"**

From their very first meeting Danny had not liked Agent Lynch. Yet, here he was thinking how unfortunate it was that the man's life had come to an end while trying to transport that miserable excuse for a human being, Paul Keller.

The three Five-0 members surveyed the area before making an attempt to move closer to the fallen CIA agents. The rookie, Barnes, lay unmoving and upon further inspection they found him to be unconscious. Lynch lay a few feet away in a puddle of blood.

"He was a jerk, but I feel sorry for him," Kono said as Chin stepped forward to check for a pulse.

Chin's fingers were almost to the man's neck when Lynch's hand shot up and grabbed his wrist. "Whoa, we're the good guys," Chin said.

"You're alive!" Danny exclaimed.

"Sorry to disappoint," Lynch groaned. He tried to sit up, but stopped as he felt a stab of pain in his chest. He had taken two bullets to the vest and he knew he would be sore for a while.

"Hey, take it easy," Chin cautioned. "You've lost a lot of blood."

Lynch placed a hand over the gunshot wound on his right arm. "Will you quit fussing over me, Mother, go help T.J.," he said, a hint of distress in his voice.

He watched as Chin squatted beside T.J.. The look on his face told Lynch the regrettable truth. He struggled to his knees. He had to check the fallen man for himself. He needed to place his fingers on T.J.'s neck to be sure he really was dead. As his index and middle fingers found the spot, he hoped that maybe the Five-0 member had been wrong. His eyes closed as the final proof registered in his mind and sank deep into his gut. Tennyson James Carter was no more.

Lynch let out a few unsavory words, threatening to get even with Keller. Then he covered his eyes with his hand, smearing his own blood on his face.

The three Five-0 members were surprised by the agent's depth of feeling for the fallen man. They walked quietly away to give him a few moments alone. They had seen a different side of Jason Lynch today.

The four men that had been driving in the last car of the now destroyed convoy straggled over to them. Lynch wasted no time in handing out fiery reprimands as the emergency vehicles arrived on the scene. The Five-0 team filled in HPD on the situation and they put out an APB on Keller. Not that it would do much good; the man knew how to disappear. They knew that from experience.

"This is like watching a rerun of a bad TV show," Danny said.

"What do we tell Steve?" Chin asked.

"How about we tell him to take a couple weeks vacation while we clean up this mess and find Keller."

"As good as that sounds," Chin replied, "I don't think that will work."

There was a sudden cry from the rookie agent, Barnes. The Five-0 members turned to see Lynch kick Barnes in the leg while he yelled at him to get off the ground and find Keller.

"I'd hate to be him right now," Kono admitted.

"How about having some pity for me," Danny requested. "I'm the one that has to break the news to Steve."

"He's gonna want to come out here," Chin added, "but he won't want to leave Natalie."

"I'll go keep an eye on her," Kono offered. "Can you guys finish up here?"

"Yeah," Chin said. "But don't you think you should get checked out by the paramedics first?"

"No, I'm fine. The boss needs to be here. I'll get a ride back to HQ and then head to his house."

"Okay, we'll see you later," Chin said. "And, cuz, be careful."

She nodded and walked away to find a ride.

Danny and Chin took a moment to observe their surroundings. The fire from the vehicles was now under control and they could see the extent of the damage.

"Why do you think they left Lynch alive?" Chin asked.

"I have no idea," Danny replied. "The guy was right on top of him. There is no way he could have missed. They left him alive intentionally."

"It appears that way, but I'm wondering why."

"Well, I'll leave you to wonder that for the both of us while I call Steve. This isn't going to go well no matter how I word it."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve had begun preparations for breakfast while Natalie cleaned up the spilled cereal and made the bed. He had offered to help her, but she insisted on doing it herself, so he could make breakfast.

As he cracked the eggs he heard Natalie call from upstairs. "Daddy, can you help me finish making your bed? The blanket's caught on something."

He rinsed off his hands and headed up the stairs. Walking into his room he saw the newly made bed. "Natty?" he said.

Steve noticed too late that one of the pillows was missing from the bed. _Whack!_ Natalie hit him from behind with the missing pillow and exploded into giggles. He dove toward the bed and grabbed a fluffy weapon for himself. She hit him again.

"You better run and hide, short stuff," Steve warned.

"You were short once too, Mister," Natalie sputtered, jumping on his back.

"That's Commander to you, little monster," he laughed, flipping her onto the bed and hitting her with the pillow.

Natalie rolled off the bed and charged at him, wielding her pillow like a sword. As they whacked each other with their respective weapons Steve had the thought that this was something Alex would do to him. Feigning she needed help and then ambushing him from behind. He could not wait for her to come back from Virginia. He looked forward to having a pillow fight with her.

His mind had wandered far enough that he lost his concentration. One misguided swing from Natalie's pillow abruptly ended their fun. Steve made a mental note that Natalie would either have to stand on the bed or grow taller before they had another pillow fight. He decided it was time to finish making breakfast.

"Daddy, do you feel better now?" Natalie asked as she buttered their toast.

Steve looked down at her while he scrambled the eggs. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Can we play again after breakfast?" she smiled.

"Um…I think we have other things to do."

She rested her head against him. "Okay," she sighed. A few moments passed before she added, "I'm glad you're my daddy."

He smiled and bent down to kiss the top of her head. "Me too," he said in a husky whisper. He wanted to say more, but the words were caught somewhere between his heart and his tongue.

He was just serving the eggs onto their plates when his phone rang. It was Danny. He had said he would call when Keller's plane left the airport. Steve took a deep breath and turned away from Natalie before answering. "Hey, Danny."

"Steve…" Danny hesitated.

The way his partner said his name alerted Steve to the fact that something was wrong. He soon found out. Danny filled him in on the details, while he listened with growing apprehension. Even though Natalie was in the room, he glanced over to make sure she was alright. He watched her for a moment as she searched in the refrigerator for something before he turned away to face the window.

"I'm not sure what else to tell you," Danny said. "It all happened so fast."

Steve wiped a hand over his face. His throat was so tight he didn't think he would be able to respond.

"Daddy," Natalie said, still looking inside the refrigerator, "why don't we have any juice?"

Steve barely heard her. He was trying to process what Danny had just told him. This was a nightmare, one he could not wake up from.

"Daddy?" Natalie said with a note of worry. She did not need to see his face to know something was wrong. His posture was rigid and the way he rubbed his hand back and forth over his eyes made her anxious. "Daddy? Is mommy okay?"

Her question pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked down at her. "Everything's okay, sweetheart. Here." He handed her a plate of eggs and toast. "Go sit at the table and eat your breakfast."

"But-"

"Natty, it's okay. Go ahead, I'll be with you in a minute."

She left the kitchen reluctantly. Steve found himself following her because he was afraid to let her out his sight. He stood outside the door of the dinning room and spoke in a low voice. "Danny, I can't leave Natty."

"Kono's coming," Danny informed him. "We thought you would feel better leaving her with one of us."

"Thanks, Danny."

"You should call Alex and tell her what happened, just in case. Is Nate there with you?"

"Damn it." Steve remembered Keller's threat against his brother when he and Danny went to question him. "He's not here. I gotta go."

Steve ended the call and was nearly frantic as he pulled up Nate's number and waited for him to pick up. It rang once, twice, with no answer. He felt beads of sweat drip down the side of his face. Three rings. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. The fourth ring.

"Hello," Nate answered.

"Where are you?" Steve demanded.

"I told you last night I had to go out so I could take care of a few things for Danny's car."

"You need to come home right now."

"Steve, I'm in the middle of something. I can't just drop it. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"Nathan, drop what you're doing, get in your car and come home."

The way Steve said his full first name and the tone in his voice reminded Nate of their father. "Can you at least tell me if everyone's okay?"

"We're fine…just _please_ come home. And be careful."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve tried to make sense of the thoughts ricocheting in his mind as he drove to the location Danny had given him. He slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "We had him!" he yelled. "We had him. How the hell did this happen?" He ran through the list of possibilities, but didn't come to any conclusions.

He accelerated, weaving in and out of traffic, anxious to make it to his destination. Several people blasted their horns at his erratic driving, but he didn't hear them. He wondered to what lengths Keller would go to destroy him. His greatest fear was that Keller might take away what had just been restored to him. Family.

Steve had called Alex to tell her what happened. She accepted the news calmly, but the subtle change in the timbre of her voice betrayed her anxiety.

He thought of Natalie and the look on her face when he left the house. She stood just inside the front door holding onto Kono's hand, uncertainty filling her eyes or perhaps it was tears. He hadn't told her the reason for his hasty departure or the reason she was staying with Kono and not with Henri and Hannah. She had been through so much. How could he tell her that he let her father escape?

Then there was Nate; his little brother, who he was supposed to protect. Keller would surely go after him like he had threatened and what was to stop Keller from going after Mary. His team was probably not safe either.

Steve's truck screeched to a stop as he reached the scene of the ambushed convoy. The two vehicles involved in the collision were still smoldering as he parked his truck outside the cordoned off intersection. Ducking under the yellow police tape, he surveyed the area. He tried to locate Danny and Chin, but he spotted Lynch first.

His jaw muscles tightened as he watched a paramedic dress the wound on the agent's arm. The idea that Lynch had orchestrated this catastrophe seized a hold of him. It was the only possibility he was considering at the moment.

He hardly noticed the crunching shards of glass beneath his boots as he advanced toward the agent. All rational thought left him. He was going to get answers. And he was going to get them his way.

Danny was talking to an HPD officer when he saw Steve. He could tell by his partner's stride and expression that someone would soon be facing his wrath. Danny's eyes followed Steve's path and discovered Lynch was to be the recipient.

Chin was a few feet away jotting down some notes for their report when he heard Danny yell out, "Chin, drop what you're doing! We've got a SEAL alert!" Without hesitation Chin shoved his clipboard into an officer's hands and took off after Danny. However, they were a little late.

Steve threw Lynch against the side of the ambulance. The agent slid to the ground with a cry of pain, clutching his wounded arm.

"Get your ass off the ground," Steve ordered, yanking Lynch to his feet. He then shoved him against the ambulance while a paramedic tried to prevent him from injuring the man further, but Steve pushed him away. He held Lynch tightly by his shirt front and growled, "This is why you didn't want me to be a part of moving Keller." When Lynch didn't respond Steve shook him. "Isn't it?"

"No."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now?"

"This isn't my fault," Lynch replied in a hoarse whisper.

"That's not a _good_ reason." Steve used his arm to press the wound on Lynch's arm. The man gritted his teeth to keep himself from screaming. "You think that hurts?" Steve snapped. "If Keller touches my family, and that includes my team, this is nothing compared to what I _will_ do to you."

"Get in line," Lynch shot back. "You think I'm gonna be around much longer after what just happened?"

"Steve!" Danny shouted as he and Chin reached him. "This isn't his fault!"

Steve could not believe his partner was defending Lynch. That infuriated him all the more. He pulled Lynch away from the vehicle and slammed him back against it. "I'm not gonna let you get away with this."

Danny and Chin each grabbed one of Steve's arms in an effort to rip him away. The SEAL fought against his two friends, knocking them aside.

Danny ran his hands through his hair and looked at Chin. "We tried to play nice."

Chin raised his eyebrows in agreement. "We did."

Danny knew this situation warranted extraordinary measures. He would apologize later. Hopefully, Steve would forgive him. Inhaling deeply, he readied himself. "Hey, you crazy animal," he yelled. "I am so _sick_ of your asinine behavior!"

"He's not getting away with this, Danny." Steve pressed the wound on Lynch's arm again. "Where's Keller?"

Lynch looked as if he might pass out. "I-I don't know."

"Wrong answer." Steve squeezed Lynch's arm so hard that blood oozed between his fingers. The agent cursed him through clenched teeth.

This was getting out of hand and Danny didn't know if he would be able to get through to Steve, but he tried again. "Just because something happens that you can't control, you're allowed to go ballistic? I don't think so!" Danny whacked Steve's left shoulder a few times trying to gain his attention. "Look at me, you idiot, I'm talkin' to you!"

Steve glared at his partner. "Shut up, Danny!"

"I'll shut up when I'm good and ready." Danny looked around for Chin, who seemed to have disappeared. "You should know that I don't get paid enough to keep you from doing stupid things. And _Chin_ should be helping me right now, but _Chin_ doesn't get paid enough either." Steve began walking away dragging Lynch with him. Danny didn't know what else to do, so he shoved Steve as hard as he could. "Hey, you big ape, I'm not done talking to you!"

Steve stumbled and lost his grip on the agent, who crumbled to the ground. "What the hell are you doing?" Steve yelled, turning back to his partner.

"I'm trying to keep you from doing something stupid, haven't you been listening to me?"

"I'm taking Lynch for a drive and I'm gonna get some answers."

"I can't let you do that."

Steve shoved his index finger at his partner's chest. "Stay out of this, Danny."

"Why don't you make me?" Danny motioned with his hands toward himself. "Come on, big boy, show me what you've got." Danny knew it was suicide to provoke a Navy SEAL, but he had no choice.

Steve's scowl deepened, but he turned his back on Danny before he did something he would regret. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder. This required action on his part. Steve spun around and was greeted by a Danny Williams' knuckle sandwich. He staggered backwards, reaching for his throbbing jaw. In the next moment, his legs were swept out from under him as Chin took him down.

Before Steve could move, his arms were yanked behind him and he felt metal cuffs encircle his wrists. He tried to move his legs, but they were bound as well.

"Chin, you have some serious ninja skills," Danny said. "I didn't even see you."

Chin smiled in response and then looked down at Steve. "Sorry, boss."

Steve twisted his head to look up at Danny and Chin. "You two are fired!"

Danny rubbed his hand while he attempted to catch his breath. "That hurt me more than it hurt you, trust me, babe."

Steve fought to free himself. "This isn't funny, Danny."

"I couldn't agree with you more, but we weren't going to stand by and watch you tear a man to pieces. Chin and I would rather see you humiliated for a few minutes than behind bars for the rest of your life. I'm sure Alex would agree with us."

At the mention of Alex, Steve quit struggling and rested the side of his face on the pavement. His heart was still pounding and he was drenched with sweat, but he forced himself to slow down and think about what he had just been doing.

Lynch was now lying on his back, his face pasty white. A paramedic knelt at his side taking his vital signs.

"You know, McGarrett," Lynch mumbled, "we have to stop meeting like this. It's bad for my health." He paused to lick his dry lips. "I may be a lot of things, but I would never kill my own men. I lost three today. I'm sure you can identify with losing team members… It doesn't feel so good."

Steve realized this was the first time he had ever heard Lynch speak without using sarcasm.

"My head's on the chopping block for losing Keller," Lynch explained. "That extraction team left me alive for a reason. If you feel humiliated being hogtied, step into my shoes. My career is over." He rolled his head to the side so he could see McGarrett. "You think I planned this? I would never go through all this for an SOB like Keller." He looked at Danny. "Will you please free the man. Even I can't stand to see him that way."

Danny and Chin released Steve from his bonds. He sat up and wiped his face with his sleeve. "If you didn't do it, Lynch," Steve said, spitting out some dirt and blood, "then who did?"

**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. I'd love to hear what you thought of it.**

**I want to thank Shakespeare's Lemonade for all her help with this story and for her suggestions on this chapter. It wouldn't have turned out the way it did without her. **


	14. I Don't Know What to Do

**Chapter 14**

"**I Don't Know What to Do"**

Nate spotted the unmarked police cars on the street near Steve's house. He observed the furtive glances the plainclothes officers gave him as he drove by them. Pulling into the driveway, he noticed his brother's truck was gone and in its place sat a familiar red Chevy Cruze. Kono was there, probably to protect Natalie. _And me_, he realized. That fact annoyed him, but then, he should be used to it by now. Being protected was the story of his life.

He knocked on the front door so he would not cause any unnecessary alarm by just walking in. Kono opened it, but did not look pleased to see him. Normally she would have smiled, or so he thought, but the events of the day must have caused her some anxiety.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey," Kono replied, her tone laden with indifference.

"What's goin' on?"

She glanced up the stairs where Natalie was looking for a game. "Steve didn't tell you?"

Nate shoved his hands in his pockets. "All he said was 'come home right now'."

She sighed and crossed her arms, figuring he had a right to know. "Do you know who Paul Keller is?"

"Steve mentioned him."

"Well, Danny, Chin and I were helping to transport him to the airport when we were ambushed and he escaped." Kono saw a look of concern cover his face.

"Is everyone okay?" Nate asked. "Are you okay?"

She detected a softening in his tone when he asked about her well-being. It gave her a slight feeling of satisfaction, but not enough to completely forget the incident with Nicole Millay the other evening. "I'm fine."

Nate frowned at her cool response. "Is something else wrong?"

"No, why would there be."

Nate knew enough about women to decipher Kono's reply. There was something wrong, but she was not about to tell him what it was. "Okay, if you say so."

"I do." She raised an eyebrow and turned away from him, calling up the stairs, "Natty, your uncle's here."

Nate heard the childlike thunder of an eight year old's feet as Natalie made her way downstairs. She flew into his arms and hugged him tightly, causing him to grimace. Injuries to the rib cage area proved difficult when you were around a little girl who liked to hug.

Kono had to admit she was a little jealous that Natalie could hug Nate so freely. She sighed away her feelings and resolved that she would stay indifferent to him.

"Uncle Nate, where's daddy?" Natalie asked. "Is he okay?"

Nate looked at Kono for a moment before he crouched down in front of Natalie. "I'm sure he's fine," he said, taking her hands and giving them a reassuring squeeze. "He just had to take care of some things."

She didn't look convinced. "When will he be back?"

"When he's done, I imagine."

Kono rolled her eyes. "Natty, did you find a game?"

"No, I don't want to play a game." Natalie looked like she was going to cry. "I just want daddy to come home."

"Hey, I have an idea," Nate said with enthusiasm. "How about you go get that book we were reading last night."

Natalie's eyes brightened with that suggestion and she scurried away to get the book. A couple of minutes later, all three of them were seated on the couch. Natalie had grabbed her blanket and flashlight along with the book and snuggled next to Nate.

Kono sat on the other side of him, not by choice, but because Natalie wanted her to be close enough so she could see the illustrations. She did not wish to cause the little girl any more grief, so she complied with her request. She had to admit it was pleasant listening to Nate read. He changed his voice for each character and stopped dramatically at crucial points in the story, which caused Natalie to urge him on frantically.

Kono glanced at Nate. His expression displayed a childlike wonder that she found endearing. There was something nice about being around him, but she didn't know what to do about that. Her stubborn side wanted to remain indifferent to him, but the longer she was with him the more her resolve began to splinter.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The three Five-0 members had finished with their investigation shortly after Lynch had been taken to the hospital. Steve had told Danny and Chin they could leave, but they stayed because he stayed.

"He should go home," Chin said, glancing at Steve, who stood by himself several feet away. "Waiting around here all day isn't going to help us find Keller."

Danny ran a hand through his hair. "I know, but look at him. I don't think he knows what else to do. I don't know what else to do."

"We'll do what we always do.

"And that is?"

Chin smirked. "Make it up as we go."

Danny couldn't help but smile. "You're not helping me right now."

"Maybe not, but I got you to smile."

"You, my friend, are beginning to scare me."

Chin inclined his head toward Steve. "Just go talk to him and try to get him to go home. Then we'll head back to HQ and figure out what to do next."

Danny took a deep breath and blew it out noisily through his lips. "Okay, I'll talk to him, but you owe me."

"I'll buy you a pizza."

"I think you're gonna buy me a steak."

"You got it," Chin replied as Danny walked away.

Steve knew Danny and Chin were talking about him, but he didn't care. He was lost in the scene of the burnt and twisted wreckage. He should have seen this coming. Perhaps he had, but it was too late now.

"Why don't you go home," Danny said, walking up beside him.

"And do what?"

"Be with Natty."

Steve nodded his head and turned to look at his partner. "Am I supposed to tell her what happened?"

The look Danny saw in his eyes was one of uncertainty. Slipping his hands into his pockets, Danny replied. "I don't know, Steve. I really don't know."

"I'm supposed to keep things like this from happening. I'm supposed to keep her safe. What will she think if I can't even do that?"

Danny gave Steve an incredulous look. "What are you, God? Things happen that even _you_ can't control. I know that may come as a surprise to you, but it's the truth."

Steve wiped a hand down his face and held it over his mouth for a moment. "If I had been here maybe I could have stopped him."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I could have at least put a bullet in him," Steve shot back.

"Yeah, that would have solved all your problems. Look, Steve, there wasn't anything you could have done. It happened and now we move on, okay? Now would you please go home. Natty's probably wondering what's going on. And if she finds out, it should come from you.

"Okay," Steve sighed, "I'll go."

"Oh, and I'd start coming up with a reason why your face looks like you ran into a wall because she's gonna ask."

Steve touched the swollen area on his jaw and winced. He would never admit it to Danny, but the blond haired detective had a powerful right hook. He would need to put some ice on his jaw later.

Danny noticed his discomfort. He patted Steve's shoulder. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Sure you are."

"Well, under normal circumstances I don't think I would be, but today I am. It was a sad moment in Five-0's history. But then again," Danny smirked, "it is good to know that Chin and I can take you."

Steve gave him a tired grin. "When this is all over you two can try again."

"Well, we wouldn't want to hurt your delicate ego."

"Thanks, Danno."

Danny knew those words encompassed more than appreciation for not hurting his partner's ego. "Anytime, Steve."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Alex glanced out her car window at the flowering bushes and trees as she drove to meet her boss. She had always enjoyed spring in Virginia. It was the time before the heat and humidity set in and before the need for air conditioning. However, since she came back from Hawaii, nothing here seemed pleasant. Everything was a vivid reminder of how miserable she had been during the past four years. But things were better now. Or at least they should be.

Things were right again with her and Steve and they were getting married, but she still felt the crushing weight of what happened to her in China. Even though Steve said he loved her, she wondered if, as time passed, he would be disappointed because she couldn't give him any children. The fear of that possibility plagued her. She realized it was something they would need to work through together in the coming months and years.

Alex arrived at her destination and parked the car. She sat there for a few minutes thinking and worrying about Steve. She had detected the anger in his voice when he told her the news of Keller's escape. She knew he wouldn't sit idly by and wait for Keller to turn himself in. Steve would be so focused on finding Keller, Alex wondered if he would be able to care for Natalie.

All these thoughts were making it hard to concentrate on the meeting ahead of her. She kept postponing talking with her boss because she was undecided as to what she would do about her job.

_There really isn't another option except to quit, _she thought. _For Natty's sake if nothing else. What kind of life would it be for her to have both her parents working such demanding jobs?_

Alex gripped the steering wheel and took several deep breaths, exhaling each one slowly. She was not looking forward to this _talk_ with her boss.

Alan Wright, was a tough CIA veteran who had seen a lot of action and he expected nothing but the best from the people who worked for him. He applauded resourcefulness and creativity, encouraging his agents to get a mission done no matter what the cost, human or otherwise. He also had a weakness for coffee. That's why he suggested they meet at this small coffee shop.

Alex stepped out of her car and walked to where Alan was seated at an outside table. He was a wiry man about five feet ten inches in height with black hair flecked with gray. He held a newspaper in front of him, but she could tell he was watching her. She pulled out the chair across from him and sat down. After a few moments he set aside his paper.

"This is one thing I refuse to read online," Alan said, patting his paper. "I love the feel of a newspaper in my hands. It's especially nice with a cup of coffee." He pointed to her. "What would you like? Coffee? Tea?"

"Iced tea. Two lemons and lots of sugar."

"Be right back."

Alex didn't think Alan Wright had ever gotten anyone coffee or tea in his life. She wondered why he was being so…nice. A minute later he came back with her request. She thanked him and absently twirled the ice with her straw while she waited for him to speak.

A few minutes passed and Alex began to think he would never say anything until he finally blurted out, "What the hell is wrong with you, Reilly?" He didn't wait for her to reply. "You're not acting like yourself. You've always known where you were going and how to get there. But now, you're like an emotional train wreck."

She blinked twice. "I'm fine, sir."

He snorted and leaned back in his chair. "Three times," he held up that many fingers, "three times I had to reschedule this meeting with you. Do you want to tell me why or do I have to guess?" He gave her three seconds before he continued, "Fine, I can guess. Does it have something to do with that damn SEAL you were mixed up with four years ago?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "The ring on your finger hasn't exactly escaped my notice. When were you going to tell me?"

"Right now. I'm getting married and moving to Hawaii."

"Well, that's going to be a long commute to work, isn't it?"

Alex went back to twirling the ice in her glass.

"So, he's making you quit, huh?"

She looked him in the eye. "He's not making me do anything."

Alan laughed. "Wait 'til you're married for a while, that will change. It makes me sick to think an intelligent woman like you will soon be relegated to doing the man's laundry, cleaning up after him, making his meals and all that crap. Plus, you'll be at his beck and call whenever he needs something rubbed-"

"_Alan_!" The tone of her voice made him smile.

"That's better. I was afraid I had lost you. Well, I guess I am losing you if you're willing to sacrifice yourself on the altar of matrimony."

Alex sat back in her chair and folded her arms. "What am I supposed to do?"

Her boss grinned devilishly. "Dump him."

She frowned. "About my job, Alan."

He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "This is what you're going to do. Finish up your work here and go marry the guy if you have to-"

"His name is Steve."

"Whatever." He brushed her comment aside with a flip of his hand. "When you're getting sick of his demands, we'll talk."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Fine." She wasn't going to try to convince her boss that Steve wasn't demanding because she knew he could be. And yet, there was so much more to him that a man like Alan wouldn't understand.

"Now that we've dispensed with the topic of you leaving me, which I am taking personally, we can move on to other things. I read Adams'- or Lynch's or whatever we're calling him these days- I read his report on your little adventure in Hawaii. It was…interesting."

Alex bit the inside of her lip and shifted in her seat. She had known this was coming, but it still didn't make it any easier.

Alan noticed her reaction and decided to proceed gently because he considered himself a nice guy. "How is the little girl? It's Natalie, right?"

She folded her hands on the table. "Yes, she's doing fine." Her response was almost robot-like.

He narrowed his hazel eyes. "It must have been scary for her."

Alex knew he was really asking about herself. "She was a brave girl, but it was unnerving."

He nodded in response. "Her mother Annie was brave too. One of the best. Yet, she was a perfect example of an intelligent woman who married and then the idiot ruined her life." He scowled. "He's still ruining people's lives."

Alex felt her throat tighten and she turned away pretending to admire a planter filled with flowers.

Alan studied her. "Alex, I don't want you to worry about Keller." She turned her attention to him once more. "He's the last thing in the world you need to be concerned about. After all you are getting married. _That's_ what you should be concerned about."

"Thank you for putting my concern in the right direction."

"You're welcome. So, how much longer 'till I lose you."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Kono's rough morning had taken more out of her than she realized. She shook her head trying to dispel the weariness that flowed over her. She needed to focus on the reason she was at the McGarrett house. She was here to protect Natalie and as she thought more about it, Nate, too. Although, she didn't have the feeling he would run and hide if bullets started flying.

Her eyelids slid closed as she listened to Nate's soothing voice read the final chapter of _The Doll People_. She finally rested her head on the back of the couch and dozed off.

"She must be tired," Natalie whispered, leaning forward to look at Kono.

Nate glanced down at Kono, whose head was just touching his shoulder.

"She's pretty when she sleeps," Natalie added. "Like a princess, but not one of those Disney ones. What do you think?"

He had to agree. But he wasn't going to admit that to Natalie because he didn't want to fuel the little girl's plans for him and Kono to be a couple. "It's not polite to look at people when they're asleep," Nate said.

"Why are _you_ looking at her then?"

"Because you said- never mind. Let's just finish the story."

Natalie took one last peek at Kono before settling back into her place on the couch. Nate read the last two pages and then closed the book with a loud thud, which was meant to wake the sleeping princess.

Startled, Kono sat up.

Natalie elbowed Nate and whispered, "You were supposed to kiss her to wake her up. It would have been less traumatic." Nate's expression told Natalie to drop the subject.

Kono stood and scanned the room, "Did you hear something?"

"That was the book closing, Uncle Nate's rude." Natalie scowled at him as she slid off the couch. "Let's play sardines."

Kono stifled a yawn. "What's that?"

"It's hide and seek, but different. Don't worry I'll tell you how to play. Uncle Nate, _you_ have to hide first."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Lynch did not like to be worried, paranoid, yes, but never worried. To him, paranoia was a survival skill; worry was a health hazard. But from the moment Arthur Stetson, whom Lynch referred to as Alfred, picked him up from the hospital, he had been worrying.

His imagination went wild each time they passed a side street as he imagined "Alfred" discarding his body in one of them, after he slit his throat. Lynch's hand instinctively went to his neck. Many in the business considered Arthur Stetson's skill with a knife to be an art form that had yet to be surpassed by anyone.

"Are you alright, Mr. Adams?" Arthur asked. "Should I stop?"

"No!" Lynch replied more forcefully then he intended. "I'm good." He was acting like a drama queen. He wondered if there was such a thing as a drama king. He would feel better about that.

_Jason, pull yourself together,_ he told himself, but he did not take his eyes off "Alfred".

Lynch was not acting completely irrational. He knew Mr. Hamilton was not all that forgiving, and Arthur Stetson had a reputation for making people disappear who had outlived their usefulness or in his case screwed up. Whether he worried or not, his health was at risk.

When they arrived at Mr. Hamilton's residence, Lynch was unsure whether that was a good sign or not. They probably decided the house was the best place to kill him so he could die a slow, painful death. Then they would dump his ravaged body into the ocean. He had always dreamed of having an open casket funeral. That would never happen now.

He yawned and turned to Arthur. "Alf-" he corrected himself, "Stetson, just kill me now and get it over with."

Arthur looked at the younger man with a trace of amusement on his face. "Excuse me?"

Lynch's head slumped on the back of the seat as he looked at the older man. For some reason he was suddenly feeling tired. "Juth kill me and make it painleth." His words weren't coming out quite right. He shook his head. "Why am I so tired? Wait…you poisoned me." He clutched the front of his shirt. "How much time do I have before my heart stops?" His head slumped on his chest.

Arthur wondered how he was going to drag the delusional agent inside. He might need to get assistance.

After a fifteen second nap, Lynch's head popped up. "Tell Alex…tell Alex I… I…what's wrong with me? Why do I feel so strange?"

"That would be pain medication, Mr. Adams."

"I said no pain mediation!" Lynch snapped. "I mean meditation…medicine! I'm so confused. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry you'll be fine," Arthur said, getting out of the car. He walked around to the passenger side where Lynch had stumbled out of the vehicle and was beginning to zigzag up the walkway. "Let me help you." He took the younger man's arm and helped him to the front door.

"How am I supposed to find Keller if I'm drugged," Lynch complained. "I told the doctor not to give me anything for the pain. Who did this to me?"

Arthur was not inclined to tell the young agent that he himself was responsible for the administration of the pain medication. They entered the house and Arthur led the unstable man to the library. He pushed aside the large mahogany door and guided Lynch through the opening.

Lynch stopped abruptly, forcing Arthur to stop as well. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded. He was not sure if he could trust his eyes because standing before him, very much alive, was T.J., along with the cause of his rotten day, Paul Keller.

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the long delay in posting. Lately, there has been little time for writing. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Any thoughts, comments, reviews…or weather reports are welcome. :D Thanks so much for reading.**

**Caseofmistakenidentity, you're doing awesome with reviews. Thanks so much! :D**


	15. Awkward Moments

**Chapter 15**

"**Awkward Moments"**

Lynch closed his eyes and held his fists against the sides of his head, "I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy." He opened his eyes again and blinked several times. T.J. was still standing before him and Keller was still sitting in a chair with a smug expression. "Someone better tell me what's going on. Now!"

Keller's mouth stretched into a smirk. "I would say you've been set up, J.J.. But maybe I'm still a little confused from the trauma I've been through."

"I'll show you trauma." Lynch stepped forward, but staggered to his left, but was helped into a chair by Arthur.

"I see someone gave you pain meds," Keller observed. "I'm sure it was more to keep you subdued than to ease your discomfort."

"Mr. Keller," Arthur Stetson broke in, "you would do well to keep your words to a minimum."

Keller snorted, but refrained from speaking.

Slouching in a high backed chair, Lynch rubbed his eyes. "T.J., I thought you were dead."

"That was exactly what you were supposed to think," he replied. "We had to sell it to Five-0 and from what I hear of your performance, I think we did."

"So…did anyone die?"

"No one died. The lead vehicle was driven remotely and my _death,_ well, that was a bit more complicated. Do you want me to explain?"

"No, I've seen _The Sting_, I know how it works."

T.J. shook his head. "It was a little more involved than in that movie."

"I- just forget it.' He waved his hand to stop any further explanation.

Keller was amused by the whole situation. "I think the whole plan was quite clever and very well executed, especially you getting shot."

Lynch glared at him, but rested his head against the chair. "I don't know why this happened, but I'm going to figure it out. And I sure as hell am going to find the SOB who put a bullet in me." With that he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Arthur retrieved a blanket from a nearby chest and laid it over the young man's lap.

Keller stood and began making his way toward the door at the front of the room. "Well, it's been real, gentlemen. See you at our next reunion."

"Save it Keller," Mr. Hamilton ordered. "You're not going anywhere,"

A smile touched Keller's lips as he turned to face the man who had just entered the room through a hidden door in the paneled wall. "And how are you dear old _dad_-in-law. It's been a long time."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie wasn't going to be dissuaded from pairing her Uncle Nate with Kono. She cleverly chose the version of hide and seek that would force them to be close together. The little girl knew her Uncle Nate was hiding downstairs, so she was pretending to look for him upstairs. That way Kono would find him first and be forced to hide with him until Natalie decided to end the game.

For now she would stay where she was, lying on her stomach on Steve's bed, listening and waiting. She sighed. This matchmaking business was really hard work, but her Uncle Nate and Kono were meant to be together. She decided it would be worth it in the end. _I wonder how Kono's doing down there anyway? _Natalie thought.

Kono was halfheartedly looking for Nate because she certainly didn't want to locate him before Natalie did. She looked around the corner of the living room and spotted Nate wedged behind one of the glass doors that separated the two rooms. She thought about walking away, but they had made eye contact. It would be more awkward to pretend she hadn't see him then to actually hide with him.

"This is kind of a lame hiding spot, don't you think?" Kono whispered.

He shrugged. "I hide easy or impossible, never in between."

"You play this often?"

"Don't you?" he smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, when we're trying to find a suspect."

Nate smiled. "Well, at the risk of sounding forward, are you going to join me in my _lame_ hiding spot?"

"Sure."

Nate flattened himself against the wall to make room for her. They stood in silence for a few minutes waiting for Natalie to find them. They could hear her upstairs.

"Uncle Nate, you're really good at this," she called. "I'm not sure if I can find you…but don't come out."

They sighed in unison.

"Is she doing this on purpose?" Kono asked.

He knew Natalie was doing this deliberately, but he answered, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Kono's arm kept brushing up against him. He hoped she was not feeling too uncomfortable standing so close to him. He could smell her shampoo or whatever it was. _Coconut, _he thought.

_He smells nice_, Kono thought. 

_Is that pineapple?_ he wondered.

_What does he smell like? It reminds me of far away places and adventure. Are those even fragrances?_

_I'm going to talk to Natalie about this match making game she's playing, _Nate thought

_I'm being ridiculous_, Kono told herself._ What kind of girl does he think I am? First, I fall asleep on his shoulder and now I'm standing in this tight space with him. He's gonna get the wrong idea… _

_I hope she's not thinking I planned this. What kind of guy would she think I am?_

_Wait, don't I want him to get the wrong idea, which is really the right idea, which isn't wrong at all. I do like him…_

Nate grew impatient in the cramped space. _I'm going to give Natty thirty more seconds and that's it. _ He shifted his weight and accidentally bumped against Kono.

…_what if he put his arms around me?_ Kono thought. _Would I be okay with that? I am still mad at him._

A few moments later, she felt two strong arms encircling her waist. _Breathe, _she told herself.

"I thought we would fit better this way," he whispered. "Do you mind?"

His words lingered in her ear. She turned to face him. His eyes smiled down at her. She realized just how blue they were. "I do…I mean no, I don't mind." She allowed her eyes to travel to his lips. There was a slight grin playing at the corners of his mouth as if to tease her. She slid her arms around his neck and asked, "Do you mind?"

The dimple in his left cheek answered for him. No, he didn't mind.

She ran her tongue along her bottom lip as she leaned into him and closed her eyes.

"Kono?" Nate said louder then was necessary. "Are you okay?"

Kono's eyes flew open. Nate's arms were not around her nor was he about to kiss her. "What?" She felt her face grow hot. _What was I doing?_

"Are you okay?"

She cleared her throat. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I was just wondering because you turned to face me and smiled and then you said 'I do'."

To her horror, she discovered she was indeed facing him. "I did?"

So," he wondered, "what did you mean by 'I do'?" His eyes not only held concern, but a hint of amusement as well.

"Um…" she began. _I think I just told him I would marry him. Oh, my, gosh, I'm such an idiot._ _ Good thing he interrupted me before I kissed him._

"Kono…are you sure you're alright?"

"I was just saying, I do…" she paused, making the mistake of looking into his eyes, which made the rest of her words melt away.

"Yes?"

She cleared her throat again, "I do…wish Natalie would find us."

It seemed to Nate that she could not say the words fast enough. It was almost as if she needed to get those particular words out before what was really on her mind slipped off her tongue.

_What's wrong with me? _Kono wondered._ Maybe it's the affects from the tear gas._ _Can it affect you like this? Whatever it is, I'm not myself._ She tucked some hair behind her ear. "I think I should check on Natalie," Kono suggested, backing away.

"Watch out for the b-"

Kono's foot caught on the box and she began falling backwards. Nate caught her in his arms just as Steve opened the front door.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Mr. Hamilton stood by the window of his study peering out at the ocean. He hated being in the same room as Paul Keller. The last time had been at Annie's funeral and they hadn't spoken a word to each other. Now they had to speak. It was imperative.

Keller sat tapping his fingers on the arm of the upholstered chair as he waited for the older man. He knew better then to speak first in William Hamilton's domain.

The atmosphere in the room was oppressive. Both men held such deep rooted contempt for the other it was impossible to rid them of it. The one thing that had kept them from killing each other in the past had been Annie and now that she was gone the task had befallen to the unsuspecting little girl, Natalie.

Still looking out the window, Mr. Hamilton spoke, "You're going to do something for me."

"Like hell I am."

Mr. Hamilton turned his fierce gaze on Keller. "_You will_."

Keller was unfazed by the force of the man's words and he shot back, "What are you going to do shoot me? Cut me up into a million pieces? Go ahead. Annie would be so proud of you."

Mr. Hamilton gripped the top of his desk chair, digging his fingertips into the leather. "I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

"A deal? How amusing. Is this official or unofficial?"

"That's of no consequence."

"So we're going deep dark." Keller lifted his chin. "What do you want?"

"I'm interested in taking down a business associate of yours."

"One I don't like, I hope."

Mr. Hamilton smirked. "Wo Fat."

Keller's look became serious. He stood and wandered over to a book case. After selecting a book, he flipped through it. "If I ask why will I get an answer?" He looked up. The older man's granite like expression was answer enough. "I do this for you and I get to name what I want in return."

"That depends on what it is."

"Natalie."

"The fact that you just used your daughter as a bargaining chip shows how unfit you are to be her father."

Keller slammed the book closed and tossed it on a nearby table. "Coming from you, that's interesting, because_ you_ _were _such a shining example of a father."

Mr. Hamilton walked around the desk, his face not betraying how that last comment cut through him. "Natalie stays where she is." His tone offered no sign of yielding. "Where neither one of us can harm her."

"Well, you can forget my help then."

"What about Annie's murderer instead?"

Keller's eyes narrowed. "Why would you tell me? Why haven't _you_ gone after him already?"

"I only recently uncovered the person's identity and I have nothing else to tempt you with."

"You expect me to trust you?"

"I would be surprised if you did." Mr. Hamilton watched as Keller calculated the risks involved in such a venture. He knew it didn't matter how many times the younger man went over the proposition; he would always come up with the same conclusion. Revenge equaled satisfaction.

"Tell me his name."

Mr. Hamilton laughed with no trace of humor. "You don't get that until you've completed the assignment."

"Well, you have to give me something. How did you get this information?"

"That is no concern of yours. You should focus on the mission I've given you, so you can go after Annie's murderer."

Keller scowled, unhappy with the way the older man controlled the situation. But he couldn't take a chance turning down this proposition, even if it were possible he could end up with nothing. "My man, Jonathan Quinn, I want him out of prison. If I'm going to do this I'd like to have a friendly face around."

"Done."

"Don't even think about crossing me, Hamilton."

"You can leave the room now. Arthur's waiting outside the door for you."

Keller wasn't going to be dismissed; he would leave when he was ready.

"Is there something else you needed?" Mr. Hamilton's tone was cutting.

"No," Keller smirked, "I'm done here." He started toward the door, but before he left the room he turned back. "Oh, by the way, I meant to ask who it was that planned my escape." He received no reply. "I know it wasn't you because it was too clean. No casualties. I know that isn't _your_ style."

"Get out."

"I'd like to meet him sometime." Keller opened the door. "Or was it a she?"

Mr. Hamilton ignored him and walked back to the window, while Arthur escorted Keller away. He heard the door close behind the two men. He drew in a deep breath, breathing out the words, "Revenge equals satisfaction."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve froze in the doorway, trying to make sense of the scene before him. Under normal circumstances he might have been amused. However, Kono was here for the purpose of protecting Natalie, instead, she was in Nate's arms and Natalie was nowhere to be seen. "What the hell is going on here?"

Kono scrambled to regain her footing. In her haste, she jerked Nate off balance and the two of them fell to the floor in a heap. Steve's eyebrows shot up and he crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation.

Nate lifted himself off Kono and offered to help her up. She pretended not to see his outstretched hand and pushed herself to her feet.

"She tripped," Nate explained.

Kono brushed the hair back from her face thinking that sounded like the lamest excuse ever. Biting her upper lip, she could only imagine what her boss was thinking, especially after their conversation yesterday.

"Kono, could you please go find Natalie," Steve said.

"Ah, sure," she replied, thankful for a reason to get away.

When she disappeared up the stairs, Steve took a few steps toward his brother and asked in a low voice, "What were you doin'?"

"Nothing," Nate answered. "She tripped."

Steve's brow furrowed. "And you just happened to be standing close enough to catch her?"

Nate threw his hands in the air. "We were playing hide and seek with Natty."

"So you and Kono were hiding _together_?"

"That's how you play this version," Nate insisted. "It was Natty's idea, not mine." Steve nodded his head in response, but Nate wasn't sure his brother believed him. "Seriously, Steve, what else would we be doing?"

There was one thing that came to Steve's mind, but he held up his hand and pushed away the thought.

Before their conversation could continue further, there was a light knocking on the door. The way Steve's hand went to his gun did not escape Nate's detection. Steve opened the door and for the second time since he had come home, his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Good morning," a sweet voice said. "I'm Nicole. You must be Steve." She held out her hand, which Steve shook. "Nate's told me so much about you."

"Has he?" Steve asked.

"It was all good," she assured him.

Nate cringed. His two worlds were colliding and the consequences could prove to be irreparable. He tried to calculate whether or not he had enough time to sneak out the back door before his brother allowed her to enter. Just as he was about to edge his way toward the back, Nicole walked in.

Nate had not seen her dressed so demurely in a long time. She wore a white sun dress that fell just to her knees with a light turquoise print that resembled flowers. On her feet, she wore white flip flops and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. A brightly colored bag hung from her shoulder.

"Nate," she said as she crossed the room to greet him. Patting his chest with her hand, she stood on her tip toes to give him a simple kiss on the cheek. "Did you sleep well?" she asked, sliding her arm around his waist. She turned to Steve. "Sometimes he doesn't sleep very well."

Nate looked at Steve, who seemed to be waiting for another explanation. Movement on the second floor balcony caught Nate's attention. Kono stared down at him, her hands griping the railing as if she might collapse. Their eyes met for a moment. He caught an imperceptible shake of her head and then she turned away, disappearing down the hall.

Nicole noticed Kono's retreat and smiled to herself. Turning her attention back to Nate, she straightened his shirt collar and asked, "So are you ready to go?"

"Go where?" Nate replied.

"We had plans, remember?"

"Nate, I thought we were doing something?" Steve questioned.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Nicole said, looking at Steve, "Nate is _always_ doing that. You know, making plans when he has other plans. I do try to keep him organized."

"Really?" Steve said. He had a hard time believing his brother, who by the age of four had become quite adept at organization, would need help in that area. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Can I ask how you two know each other?"

"I love this story," she smiled.

Nate swallowed the bitterness that rose in his throat. Nicole was about to tell her fanciful version of how they met. He needed to get her out of there. "The story is not that interesting and sometimes Nicole gets the facts mixed up."

"Oh, you're silly, Nate," Nicole said, squeezing his arm. "You're just embarrassed because you were so dashing."

_My brother is going to throw me out after you tell this story,_ Nate thought.

"I'd love to hear it," Steve smirked.

Nate did not like Steve's expression. It was a scary, big brother smirk that said 'you better not have lied to me'.

"We met in Paris," Nicole began. Nate felt the heat from Steve's glare. "I was sitting alone at an outdoor café, when the waiter brought a long stemmed red rose with a note to my table. The note said…" she looked up at Nate, "do you want to tell your brother what it said or shall I?" Nate's eyes pleaded with her to stop, but he said nothing, so she continued, "The note said, 'It's so sad to drink alone. Let us join our glasses in a toast to you and to me'. Isn't that romantic?" She sighed. "I just couldn't bear to live without him."

Steve was thinking that either this woman was a pathological liar or, he hated to think it, his brother was. And judging by Nate's strange behavior the previous night he was beginning to think his brother was the liar. "Hmm," Steve responded. "That's quite the story. Nate never told me."

Looking back at Nate, Nicole asked, "You didn't tell him about us?"

Steve crossed his arms and stared at his brother.

Nate felt like someone plunged a knife into his stomach and was slowly turning it. Just last night he had told Steve there was nothing between him and Nicole, now here she was tearing his words apart. He could tell his brother was questioning the entirety of their conversation in the garage last night.

_Why is she doing this?_ Nate wondered. He forced himself to look at Steve, but Nate could only see the image of his father's disapproving face. He blinked several times until his brother came back into focus. Steve's eyes looked like a raging sea of distrust and disappointment. Nate would rather face a firing squad than see that look in his brother's eyes, and yet, he deserved to see it. He had caused it.

"Go," Steve said.

Nate was desperate to try and fix the situation. "Steve I-"

"I said _go_," Steve ordered, leaving the room without another word.

Nate knew his brother was just like their father. When he gave an order, he expected you to follow it, no questions asked.

Nicole needed no further encouragement. She took Nate's arm and looked up at him with a triumphant smile. "Shall we go?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nicole had already planned how she would spend the afternoon with Nate. Now she only needed to convince him he wanted to spend it with her. She decided to start off by giving him the present she purchased for him.

"Before you pull out of the driveway, I have something for you." She took out a rectangular shaped package from her bag and held it out to him.

"I don't want anything from you," Nate replied.

"I understand you're upset with me because I made you look like a fool in front of your brother, but I'm a desperate woman."

"I don't care what you are. You just put my relationship with my brother in jeopardy."

"I'm sorry." Her green eyes misted over. "I truly am. I don't know why I have to be so wicked."

Nate turned the key in the ignition and was about to put his car in reverse, but Nicole placed a hand on his arm. He shook her off. "I'm dropping you off at your hotel and then I don't want to see you again, _ever_."

"Please, Nate, just open your gift," she pleaded, but he refused to acknowledge her. "I don't expect anything in return. Honest."

Nate laughed at the absurdity of the word "honest" coming from Nicole. "I don't believe you." He glanced over at her and was surprised to see the sincerity on her face.

"Open it…_please._" She held it out to him and this time he took it. She watched expectantly as he ripped away the brightly colored paper. "I hope you like it." She watched his eyes scan the book he now held in his hands.

It was a book of tree houses from all around the world; a surprising gift from Nicole.

"I remembered how you said you always wanted a tree house growing up," she said. "I thought maybe you would find one you liked and build it one day." She paused for a long moment waiting to see if he would respond. "My favorite is on page fifty-seven, in case you're wondering."

Nate put the book behind his seat and began pulling out of the driveway. He wanted to get her out of his car as soon as possible.

Nicole knew what was on his mind, so she told him what was on hers. "I thought we could spend the day together."

"Not happening."

"Oh, Nate, I know you're upset with me, but I want the chance to show you I'm just as sweet as that other girl."

"Other girl?"

"Your girlfriend, whatever her name is."

"She's not my girlfriend. I hardly know her."

She laughed, finding that hard to believe. "I still want to spend the day with you."

"Like I said, not happening."

"If you spend the day with me, I promise…I promise I'll leave you alone."

Nate glanced over at her again. He knew he probably couldn't trust her, but to have her offer to stay away from him was certainly something she had never done before. "Where would we go?"

"I haven't had lunch yet, have you?"

Nate didn't like that idea, but the only way he would be able to fix things with his brother would be to get rid of Nicole. "You'll leave me alone?"

"Yes," she said and then turning her head away from him she whispered to herself, "for a little while anyway."

**A/N: Sorry again, for the delay in posting. I thought I would have more time in the summer so I could post more frequently, but it's not working out that way. I hope you liked the chapter. I'd love to know what you think about Mr. Hamilton being Natalie's grandfather. Thanks to everyone for reading and sending me all your lovely comments.**


	16. Responsibility

**Chapter 16**

"**Responsibility"**

The water swirled around Steve's ankles as he gazed out at the ocean. His first thought was to dive through the waves and swim; swim until he was too exhausted to think. But his responsibilities anchored him in place.

Kono was in the house keeping Natalie occupied so he could have some time to himself. He had not asked her to do that, she had just known he needed to be alone and he was grateful for her insightfulness. He wasn't ready to see Natalie. He didn't want her to see how angry and apprehensive he was.

Keller's escape had him on edge, but what was going on with Nate twisted him on the inside. He was not sure he could trust his own brother. There was definitely something between him and Nicole, but why lie about it? Why did his brother have so many secrets? He was concerned something would happen between him and Nate that he wouldn't be able to fix. Had they even fixed anything at all?

Steve looked to his left and his attention was drawn to the outline of a heart Natalie had made with stones the previous day. Inside the heart she had etched in the sand the words:

_Daddy_

_Mommy_

_Uncle Nate_

_Me_

Except now, the only one that remained was _Daddy_. The rest had been wiped away by the greedy fingers of the ocean.

He picked up two of the stones, tumbling them in his hand as he searched the horizon. One of the stones was rough and it scratched against his palm. He threw that one out over the water, watching as it skipped once across the surface then disappeared below.

The second stone was smooth and he tossed it in the air as he considered throwing it, but the thought was interrupted as he heard Natalie call him. "Daddy." Steve turned around to see Natalie and Kono standing just outside the backdoor. He waved his arm in reply and the little girl scampered toward him. She nearly knocked him over as she collided into him with a hug, which felt more like the squeeze of a boa constrictor. Finally, she loosened her hold and looked up at him. "What happened to your face? Are you okay?"

Steve knelt on one knee in front of her and pulled the hair away from her face. Looking into her light blue eyes, he could see they were troubled. He pressed his lips together in concentration, "I'm fine. I ran into something. But there's something I need to tell you."

Natalie patted his shoulder in an effort to comfort him. "Okay."

"This morning your father was being transported to the airport and he…he escaped." Steve noticed the brief scowl on her face at the mention of her father, but it was quickly replaced by an expression he couldn't decipher. "Natty, are you okay?"

Her eyes focused beyond his left shoulder. "Uh-huh. Can we still get stuff for my room?"

Steve frowned at the way she redirected the conversation. He gently took hold of her chin and turned her head to his right. "Natalie, did you hear me? Your father-"

"I heard you," she assured him. "Can we go now?"

Steve wasn't convinced she was okay and he didn't think going out was a good idea, but perhaps it would help get her mind off things. "We can go, but Uncle Nate had something to do, so he won't be going with us."

"Can Kono come with us? She seems sad."

"Yeah, if you want her to." He stood and brushed the sand from his knee. "Why don't we ask her." He watched as she skipped toward the house. Her apparent lack of distress made him uneasy. He figured he would find out how upset she really was tonight when it was time for bed.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate couldn't keep from glancing at his watch throughout his lunch with Nicole. She was talking about something he normally would have found interesting, but his mind was on his brother. Nate wondered if he would arrive home to find his belongings scattered outside the front door with a note that said, _Don't come back_.

"Nate, are you listening?" Nicole asked.

"What?" He glanced at his watch again.

She gently slapped his hand. "It doesn't matter how many times you look at your watch the day won't go by any faster. You promised you would spend the day with me, so can we just enjoy it." Nate grimaced. "At least let me enjoy it," Nicole added.

"Fine."

Neither one spoke for some time. Nicole popped a French fry into her mouth and twirled her lemonade with her straw while she studied Nate. Finally, she couldn't take the silence any longer. She sighed. "She likes you."

"What?" Nate said.

"It begins with a K. You know, the girl who works with your brother."

He looked away for a moment. "You know her name, Nicole."

"Fine. Kono. Okay? She likes you."

"Why are we talking about this?"

"Because she makes me jealous and I need to talk about it." She sat back in her chair and admired her fingernails. "I guess I can't blame her. What's not to like." She smiled.

"Like I said, why are we talking about this?"

"We use to talk about a lot of things."

Nate shook his head. "Stop."

"No, we need to talk about this," Nicole insisted. "You're too hard on yourself and on me, but we're not talking about me right now. You won't let anybody near you and you know how hard I've tried." She snorted. "You keep doing that and you're going to be a _frustrated _old man."

"I'd rather not discuss things like that with you."

"Much to my chagrin." She stretched in her chair. "Nate, tell me one thing you like about yourself." He was silent. "Hmm," she leaned forward and watched him. "What if I give you a couple examples? To begin with, you make my eyes ache because you're _so_ gorgeous."

Nate shifted in his chair and looked at his watch.

"That makes you uncomfortable doesn't it? Well, I'm not done yet. You're intelligent, brave, a good listener, playful, but only when around children, and you care deeply about those you love. I wouldn't mind being added to that short list." She tapped the table. "Your turn."

"Do you want to know one thing I _don't_ like about myself?"

She crossed her arms. "That's not what we're doing here."

"I'm too patient with you."

"You can't even say _one good thing_ about yourself, can you? At least I can say something good about myself, several things in fact, but the best one is…I love you."

Nate leaned back in his chair. He chose to ignore Nicole's comments. He didn't want to encourage her by responding in any way. But he did wonder how she could see so much in him. And why couldn't he say one good thing about himself? He also wondered why Nicole kept insisting that Kono cared for him. Why would Kono waste her time on him? She was smarter than that.

Nate glanced at his watch yet again. He had only been with Nicole for a little over an hour, which, in his opinion, was an hour too long. He groaned quietly, remembering why he was doing this. He would just need to deal with the fact that he was Nicole's captive for the rest of the day.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny sat in his vehicle tapping the steering wheel as he studied the McGarrett house. He wondered if it would be safe to just walk up to the front door and knock or if he would risk being ambushed by the resident ninja. He had tried calling and sending a text message a few minutes ago, but Steve didn't answer either of them.

Danny tilted his head. "Hmm…maybe if I call Alex, she can call Steve, he'll probably pick up for her. Then she can tell him that I'm in the driveway, so he shouldn't shoot me when I come to the door… That's ridiculous." He opened the car door. "I'm taking the direct approach."

He cautiously made his way to the door and was about to reach for the handle when he realized that was a bad move. He knocked instead. After waiting an appropriate amount of time, he raised his hand to knock again, but the door opened. Five whole inches.

The intense eyes peering at him through the cracked door made Danny shake his head. "Trick or treat, Steven. Is the door stuck or something?" He pushed on the door and walked into the house. "What'd you do, throw your phone in the ocean?"

Steve's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't give me that face," Danny ordered. "I've spent the better part of the last two hours being shredded to pieces by the Governor because I couldn't explain why you weren't answering your phone. Do you care to explain yourself?"

"Hi, Uncle Danny!" Natalie called from the balcony.

Danny grinned at Steve. "She called me Uncle Danny." Then he looked up at the little girl, his eyes crinkling with delight. "Hey, Natty. How's it going?"

"Great! But I can't come down right now, I'm making my bed with the new sheets and stuff daddy bought me!"

Danny smirked and nodded his head. "Your daddy's a nice guy, isn't he?"

"Yup, and Kono came, too, but she went home. She was sad. I have to go now." She scurried off to her room.

Steve locked the door before making his way to the kitchen.

Danny followed him. "She's in a good mood. You didn't tell her about Keller, did you?"

"I did."

"Hmm, interesting," Danny commented as they walked into the kitchen.

Steve grabbed a knife from the counter and proceeded to chop a red pepper.

Danny surveyed the kitchen. "So, you're cooking?"

"Did you stop by for a reason?"

"Didn't you hear me when I walked in the door?"

"Yeah, I did. I wasn't in the mood for phone calls. Have you eaten yet?" His question sounded a bit harsh.

Danny looked at the knife. "Am I going to be the main course?" The rhythmic chopping of the knife was the only reply he received. He decided to leave Steve to his food preparation for a few moments while he took a look in the pan on the stove. A wave of garlic and herbs greeted his nose as he lifted the cover. "I do like chicken." Again Danny received no response.

He knew something else was eating at Steve besides Keller's disappearance. However, figuring out what that something was would be the problem. "What's going on, Steve? Did you have a disagreement with Alex? Is it Natalie? Is it _me_?" Then a thought drifted into his mind. "Where's Nate?"

The knife skipped a beat and Danny could see Steve's neck muscles tense. He had found the source of his partner's present irritation.

"I take it something went wrong with you two," Danny said.

Steve put the knife down and exhaled, almost as if he had been holding his breath since Nate left. "My brother's lying to me."

"Okay. What makes you say that?"

Steve folded his arms across his chest. "He told me last night there was nothing between him and that woman, Nicole Millay."

"You think he lied about that?"

"I know he did." Steve went on to tell Danny about Nicole's appearance and how Nate had apparently made plans with her when he already had plans with him and Natalie. "And Nicole made it perfectly clear there was something between her and Nate."

"Well, little brothers don't always tell their big brothers everything. I mean look at my brother."

Steve held up his hand. "You don't get it, Danny. Nate lied to me."

"Let me get this straight." Danny took a strip of pepper and munched on it. "You're going to take the word of a complete stranger over your own brother?"

Steve's frown deepened. "He didn't deny anything she said."

"Maybe he didn't want to embarrass her in front of you or…" Danny scratched his temple.

"Or what?"

"Or…there's something going on between them."

Steve shook his head. Then he grabbed the knife and began chopping onions.

Danny snuck another piece of pepper. "Other than the fact that Nate _allegedly_ lied to you, is it so bad that he's with Nicole?"

Steve shook the knife in Danny's direction. "Something about that woman bothers me."

Danny took a step backward. "Does _she_ bother you or is it the fact that your little brother isn't so little anymore?"

Steve hesitated. "No…it's her. You saw her she's…"

"Gorgeous? Is that what's bothering you?"

"_No_." Steve continued chopping the onions. "There's just something not right about her. She spent a hundred thousand dollars on her dog and then ran it over three days later."

"What? How the hell do you even know that?"

Steve exhaled. "Kono was doing some research on Nicole and I've made a few calls."

"Whoa, wait a minute; you're doing a background check on your brother's girlfriend."

"She's not his girlfriend."

Danny threw his hands in the air. "You said she was his girlfriend and now you're saying she's not his girlfriend? Which is it?"

Steve put a hand over his eyes. "I don't know." He was quiet for a moment. "Danny, I don't even know my own brother and that's really bothering me." He sniffed. "I'm checking on him, too."

"Well, this keeps getting better and better. What do you think you're gonna find, huh?"

"Answers."

Danny crossed his arms. "That's excellent."

Steve wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve and sniffed again.

"Oh, Steve, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how broken up you were about Nate." The blond haired man stepped toward his partner and laid a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be okay. I'm sure things will work out."

"Danny," Steve sniffed, "it's the _onions_."

Realization came slowly to Danny. "_Oh_, because I thought you were…"

"I was what?"

Danny cleared his throat. "Umm…crying over this mess with your brother." He blinked several times. "Yeah, you're right, those onions are strong." Danny blinked again. "Look, Steve, take some advice from a guy who may never see his brother again. You only have one brother, do whatever it takes so you don't lose him."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate and Nicole spent the afternoon at a movie theater and meandering through various shops. Nate noticed she seemed content with these simple activities, but he was concerned she was enjoying herself a little too much.

They had never been on a "date", even though she had hinted at it many times. On several occasions, when her patience eluded her she had actually asked him out, but he had always refused.

Nate had never been interested in Nicole or anyone else for that matter. He had always been so focused on his job and trying to put his life back together that having a girlfriend never occurred to him. If it ever did, Nicole would be a problem. He didn't want what happened in Paris to be repeated.

Nicole finally interrupted his musings. "How does ice cream sound to you?"

"Cold."

"And a walk on the beach while the sun sets?"

"Cliché."

"Sounds like a romantic evening to me," she corrected.

Nicole found a place to get ice cream and then they made their way to the beach. After she had eaten her cold confection, she placed her arm around Nate's. He tried to ignore her fingers as they wandered up and down his arm.

"Hold my hand, Nate…please."

He responded by burrowing his hands deeper into his pockets.

She arched an eyebrow. "I don't mind going in after it." She smiled at how fast his hand flew out of his pocket. Then she reached over and laced her fingers with his. "This is all I've ever wanted, Nate. Just to be with you. Is that so bad?"

Nate looked down at Nicole. Her green eyes shone with adoration. He didn't think wanting to be with someone was a bad thing, providing both people wanted to be together. He knew Nicole loved him, but it was an obsessive, unhealthy love, which was something he could never be a part of.

Out of habit, he scanned the area around them. What he expected to see he wasn't sure, but he was always on the lookout for it. Nicole tugged on his arm, "Nate, let's just stand here and watch the sun sink into the ocean."

Nate shook his head and tried to free his hand from her grasp. Relief flooded through him when she released him. That relief was soon replaced by a nauseating feeling as she slid her arms around him and rested her head against his chest.

"Nicole, this is-"

"Wonderful," she finished.

"That's not what I was going to say."

"My time with you is almost over, Nathan McGarrett, don't ruin it." Her tone was sweet and sleepy. "It would be perfect if you would put your arms around me. No one knows us here anyway. You don't have to worry about _anyone_ getting the wrong idea."

"I don't want _you_ getting the wrong idea."

Nicole looked up at him, her eyes alight with desire. "Kiss me," she breathed.

Nate stiffened at the request. "I'm not doing that. I've played your game long enough. I'm done with this."

She encircled his neck with her arms; her body pressing up against his. "After you kiss me."

"No."

Nicole always dreamed of Nate taking her in his arms and kissing her with wild abandonment while the sun floated down to the horizon. Unfortunately, she knew she would have to threaten him to get anywhere near his lips. She sighed. Regrettably, it was true; threatening him would be the only way. "_Oh_, I'd hate to tell your brother about your little escapade this morning."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're cute when you try to lie, but we both know what you were up to this morning."

"I was taking care of some car business."

She laughed. "And I was at confession repenting from my sinful ways. Perhaps you should have come too." A knowing smile spread across her lips. "I heard you shot someone, _Jamie_." She ran her hand through his hair and down the side of his face. "Now where were we? Ah, yes, you were about to kiss me."

Nate swallowed hard. The thought of kissing Nicole and furthering her fantasy was pushing him close to the edge. But then he thought of Steve. He couldn't allow his brother to know the truth about his involvement with Keller's escape. If only he hadn't changed his mind and gone through with it. He knew why he had done it, but he couldn't expect his brother to understand his reasons.

"It was a clever plan you contrived." Nicole traced her fingers over his chest. "It would have been a blood bath if you had let the boss handle it. And I found it rather humorous that you shot Jason." She scowled. "He deserved it, especially after he refused to sleep with me." She said those last words with such conviction that it caused Nate to recoil. Seeing his reaction she tried to mend the situation. "He doesn't mean anything to me. I was just bored. Besides, if you were mine I wouldn't need anyone else."

Nate closed his eyes. He had seen and experienced many horrible things in his life, but at that moment he had to focus on keeping what little he had eaten that afternoon in his stomach. Nicole was saying something about Steve, but he hardly heard her. He felt her fingers run through his hair and down the back of his neck trying to draw his attention back to her. This was like a game of Russian roulette. He didn't know which chamber the bullet was in. Nicole's or Steve's.

"Who could be hurt by a simple kiss?" Nicole purred.

Nate swallowed everything, so he would feel nothing. He put his arms around her and tilted his head forward until his lips met hers. She moaned with pleasure as she forced their kiss to deepen.

Nicole was playing to an audience of one. The pair of brown eyes that watched their kiss widened with horror, and then blinked away the tears of disappointment that followed.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate drove around the island for several hours trying to rid himself of the reality of what had transpired between him and Nicole. He considered himself fortunate that she had only asked for a kiss. If her request had included a _slumber party_, Nate knew he would have told Steve the truth about Keller's escape himself. He suspected Nicole understood that and only pushed him as far as she knew he would go.

Light was absent from the windows of the McGarrett house when Nate finally pulled into the driveway. The hour was now late, making him suspect that Steve and Natalie were already asleep. He felt a surge of relief that he wouldn't have to face his brother tonight. Perhaps things would be better in the morning.

He climbed out of his car and made his way to the front door. A blast of light startled him, causing him to drop his keys. The motion sensors had picked up his movement and turned on the front spot lights. He thought the two security lights beating down on him felt more like interrogation lights. He exhaled in frustration as he searched the bushes for his keys.

Finally, he located them, but before he could select his house key the lights shut off. "Sure, go off now when I need you," he mumbled.

As he inserted his key in the door he had a strange feeling he would enter the house and find his father waiting for him. He shook his head and a sad smile touched his lips because he knew he would never see his father again.

Nate stepped inside and disabled the alarm. He secured the door and reset the alarm then turned to go upstairs.

A light switched on. "I never did ask how you knew the alarm code," Steve said as he watched his brother fall back against the door.

Nate thought his heart was going to explode. For a split second, he thought it was his father who switched on the light and spoke to him. He took a couple deep breaths before answering. "The year the Marquis was manufactured and the last two digits of the year mom and dad were married."

"How the hell did you know that?"

"I guessed."

"You guessed?"

Nate shrugged. "You're predictable."

Steve frowned. Keller had said the same thing to him during their encounter at the warehouse. Steve didn't consider himself predictable and he didn't like being called that either.

Nate waited for his brother to make the next move. He imagined a lecture was forthcoming, but Steve said nothing. Instead, he sat on the edge of the couch and rested his arms on his knees. Nate wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, so he stayed where he was. Finally, Steve motioned to the seat next to him. "You can sit down, Nate."

Nate looked at the open space on the couch, but opted to sit in the arm chair.

Steve laced his fingers together, searching for the right words to say. "I feel like you've been lying to me and I can't figure out why." He let his words hang between them for a few moments before continuing, "What's going on, Nate? And who is this Nicole Millay?" He stood up and began pacing. He knew his tone sounded demanding and the questions he was asking were all wrong. This wasn't going the way he had planned, but now that he had started he couldn't stop. "I mean you were allergic to girls growing up and she isn't a girl she's a…"

Nate raised an eyebrow. "A woman?"

"Yeah."

"Steve, you know I'm not _seven_ anymore, right?"

Steve studied his brother as he focused on that statement. He knew Nate wasn't seven. He knew that. Didn't he? "Yeah, I know that."

"And I don't want you to take this wrong, but I'd rather you'd stick to being my brother, not my father."

Steve was shocked by that statement. He wondered how he could be acting like a father when he wasn't even sure how to be one. "You think I'm acting like dad?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah, I wanna know."

"Sometimes you do."

The more Steve thought about it he could imagine that from Nate's perspective he may have been acting more like a father than an older brother. There seemed to be a fine line between the two, but with both his father and mother gone, he felt responsible for Nate. He knew he couldn't be any other way. "I'm sorry, Nate, I'm not trying to be dad. It's just…I need to know you're safe. And I need to do what I think is right in order to make that happen. Can you understand that?"

Nate stood up and faced his brother. "Yeah, I can. I guess it isn't easy being the older brother."

Steve smirked. "I've been at it for thirty something years and I still can't get it right."

"No one's perfect, but you're not that bad."

Steve snorted. "Thanks."

Nate stifled a yawn. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning." He walked toward the stairs. "Oh, and Steve," he turned back, "thanks for waiting up for me."

**A/N: I'm back. :D I'm not sure where the summer has gone. I hope you all enjoyed yours. Thanks for reading and reviewing. And thanks to Shakespeare's Lemonade for all her help.**


	17. The Plan

**Chapter 17**

"**The Plan"**

Steve woke with a start. Something had hit his chest. He glanced down at a little hand, which was connected to an arm that led to Natalie. She was sleeping next to him on the bed. This seemed to be a habit of hers. She also seemed to be making a habit of taking up most of the bed. Steve wondered if Alex put up with this behavior.

The pale yellow light coming in through the windows told him it was morning. He placed a hand over his eyes. _What's today? Oh, yeah…Sunday. Sunday…_ He drifted off to sleep again.

Minutes later, he opened his eyes. He attempted to rub the weariness from them, but the effort was futile. His late nights of thinking were prohibiting him from some much needed sleep. He gently lifted Natalie's arm and laid it on the mattress as he rolled off the bed. He decided a swim would be a good way to clear his mind and get his day off to a good start.

The instant his feet hit the water Steve began to feel revived. At first, he focused all his attention on the mechanics of his stroke; the powerful kicking of his legs, the arching of his arms and the slicing of his hands through the water. Then after several minutes, the things that had been weighing him down began to crawl back into his mind. Alex's absence. Natalie's behavior. Keller's escape. And Nate.

He was frustrated with how his conversation with Nate went the previous night. He had set out to get some answers and ended up with nothing but his brother wanting him to back off a bit. What really irritated Steve was the way Nate had changed the direction of the conversation with such ease that he hadn't even known it was happening until Nate said goodnight.

_Why can't he give me a straight answer?_ Steve's arms and legs beat the water as he tried to dispel his frustration. He soon felt his ears throbbing and his muscles burning from the exertion of his swim. He stopped. Trying to calm his racing heart, he breathed deeply. He looked back along the shore and saw his house in the distance; he swam farther than he realized. He needed to get back. Gathering his strength, he turned and began to swim toward home.

A short time later, Steve walked in the backdoor of the house, a wet towel draped over his bare shoulder. The aroma of something cooking greeted him. It reminded him of chocolate chip cookies, which he thought was an odd breakfast. He heard some chattering and giggling coming from the kitchen and decided to see what was happening in there.

He entered the kitchen just as Natalie was saying, "And daddy told her again that he didn't need her number because- good morning _daddy_!"

"What's going on?" Steve asked.

"We're making pancakes. With lots of chocolate chips."

Steve looked over Nate's shoulder at the griddle filled with pancakes. "Dessert for breakfast?"

"It's not _dessert_," Natalie insisted, picking up the silverware. "It's a breakfast food. Mommy makes them all the time."

Steve smirked. That didn't surprise him.

"I have to put this silverware on the table," she said.

"Don't forget the napkins," Nate reminded her as she left the kitchen.

Steve leaned against the counter. "So you're making breakfast?"

"Yeah." Nate paused. "It's my way of saying sorry for what happened yesterday."

Steve nodded his head. He didn't know how else to respond to his brother.

Nate flipped a pancake. "Do you want chocolate chips in yours?

"I'm not really hungry."

"Are you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." He wasn't fine, but that was his default answer. It usually ended what could become a discussion about his thoughts and feelings. He definitely didn't want to share those with Nate right now.

"I dropped this fork," Natalie said, coming back into the kitchen. "I need another one."

Nate tossed the last of the pancakes onto the plate. "And we're ready to eat."

Natalie selected a fork from the drawer. "I'll put this on the table. Daddy, you should put on some dry clothes. You don't want to miss _this_ breakfast."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Kono dragged her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Keller's a ghost."

"We've been through this before," Danny said, rubbing his forehead. "And can I ask why we're here at HQ wasting our time? I feel like we're running into one dead end after another."

"Dead ends would suggest we actually had leads," Chin corrected him.

Danny exhaled. "We have to be missing something."

"_Sleep_," Kono complained, wiping the surface table clear of the information they had been examining.

Danny and Chin exchanged a look. Kono had been irritable since she had arrived two hours earlier. Chin put a hand on her shoulder. "Cuz, if you need to get some sleep, go ahead. We'll be okay."

Kono rolled her eyes. "I don't need sleep, _Chin_. Let's just find the SOB and be done with it." She frowned at her two co-workers before marching toward her office.

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Oh, boy, what's eating her? I don't think it's a lack of sleep."

"You're right," Chin agreed. "I think we both know it's not a _what_ but a _who_."

Danny affirmed that with a nod of his head. "For Kono's sake I hope it doesn't take Nate too long before he figures out she likes him." His phone rang. "Yikes, the governor's calling." He held the phone out. "You wanna answer it, Chin?"

Chin held up his hands. "She's calling for you not me."

"She's really calling for Steve," Danny corrected him, "but the idiot's not talking to her right now." Then painting on a big smile, he answered, "Good morning, Governor. How are you?" He paused. "No, he's at home today." He ran a hand through his hair. "We're following up on some leads. I will certainly let you know if there are any developments." He nodded his head. "Yes, ma'am, whatever it takes. He looked toward Steve's office. "I'm sure he'll be in tomorrow, bright and early." He grimaced. "No, Governor, I wasn't being facetious." He put a hand over his eyes. "Okay, goodbye." He ended the call. "Chin, next time I'm giving you the phone."

"What did she say?"

"The same thing she said yesterday. First, she asked where McGarrett was. Then she reminded me _again _that this case is our top priority and that Alex's mother is her _dear_ friend, so we need to do whatever it takes to find Keller." He threw his hands in the air, which almost sent his phone flying across the room. "What does she think we're doing here, having a weenie roast?"

Chin raised an eyebrow. "Don't you mean a luau?"

"That's _irrelevant_, Chin!"

"I've got something relevant," Kono said, coming out of her office.

Both men turned expectantly. "You found something?"

"No, but I have a plan to _get_ something. You remember Jonathan Quinn, Keller's right hand?" Both men nodded. "He must have some idea where Keller would hide out."

Danny clapped his hands together. "Yes, that's possible, but have you tried getting information out of that guy? He'd rather swim with the sharks than talk with the SEAL."

"Well, I have this crazy idea how we might get him to talk."

Danny ran a hand over his face. "It's illegal, isn't it?"

She smiled. "More of a gray area, besides the governor has been telling us to do 'whatever it takes.'"

Chin nodded. "We're listening."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

It was early evening and Steve was on a mission. It was time to do laundry. Nate and Natalie were downstairs playing Battleship, while Steve gathered the dirty clothes. He dumped out Natalie's hamper into his and smiled at all the color that exploded from it. The bright orange, red and purple hues of Natalie's clothes made a stark contrast to his blacks, khakis and blues. The only item that was similar in color was her black Batman shirt. He held it up in front of him. _She's so little_, he thought. Then he shook his head and tossed it into the pile.

Picking up the hamper, Steve noticed Natalie's red flip flops on the floor just outside Nate's doorway. He stared down at them trying to figure out why there was an action figure sitting on top of each one. Then he looked inside Nate's room and spotted two more figures. Stepping into the room, he spied several more action figures, Lego structures and Matchbox cars scattered over the floor. He imagined this was how Nate and Natalie had spent the hour and a half when he was trying to have a nap.

Steve's gaze shifted to a small photo album on the floor and he bent down to retrieve it. The front said _Natalie_. He flipped through the pages looking at various pictures of Natalie with other people. He realized he was in more than half of them. Caught up in the memories from years past, he sank onto Nate's bed. As he did, his foot hit an object, causing it to rattle.

He looked down at the floor, but he saw nothing. Leaning forward, he pulled up the bedspread. Still nothing. He wasn't sure why he was so curious, but he got down on his hands and knees and peered under the bed. Resting beside a storage bin he found a small orange bottle on its side. It appeared to be a medicine bottle without a label. Steve's brow furrowed as he retrieved it. He estimated there were almost a dozen pills left in the bottle. He wondered what they were for and why the label had been removed.

Steve wasn't going to ask his brother about it because he probably wouldn't get a straight answer. He didn't want to probe into Nate's private life, but there were too many secrets and odd behaviors for Steve to let his questions go unanswered for much longer. He decided to take the bottle and see what would happen next.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

It was half past eight on Monday morning, and Steve was in his office looking through traffic cam footage of Keller's escape. He studied it for only a short time before giving up and leaning back in his chair. His gaze wandered over to Natalie who sat on the couch coloring while she waited to be taken to school.

Steve had been concerned about her going to school because Keller was still somewhere on the island, but he didn't want to disrupt her life any further. When Kono offered to accompany Natalie to school, he had been relieved. After running it by the principal, she had suggested Kono pose as an assistant teacher. It seemed to be a good plan and Natalie liked the idea, so they went ahead with it.

Movement in the main room caught his attention and he noticed the rest of his team standing around the surface table conspiring about something. He didn't have much time to wonder what they were doing before Kono came in to get Natalie.

"Hey, Natty," Kono smiled. "You ready to go?"

Natalie glanced at Steve before looking back at Kono. "Yes." She hurried over to Steve to give him a hug and a kiss. "You'll be okay while I'm gone, Daddy?"

He smiled. "I've got Danny to look out for me, remember?"

She nodded and hugged him once more before taking Kono's hand and leaving the office. Steve followed, watching the two leave headquarters. He stared at the door feeling a hint of apprehension creep over him. He trusted Kono, but whenever Natalie was out of his sight he felt a loss of control, and he hated that.

"Steven, is it possible for you to direct your attention over here?" Danny gestured toward where he and Chin stood.

Steve drew his thoughts away from Natalie. Turning, he gave Danny and Chin a questioning look. "What are you guys up to?"

"We have a plan," Danny stated.

Steve folded his arms. "Does this plan involve finding Keller?"

"It has the potential to," Chin remarked.

"But it's illegal," Danny whispered. Steve looked at him in surprise. Danny held up his hand. "It was Kono's idea, and the governor has already given us the green light."

"You asked the governor?"

Danny clasped his hands together. "Steve, this is an intricate, well-thought out plan, not just one of your spur of the moment ideas that involves hanging someone off a roof or breaking a guy's fingers."

Steve frowned at Danny before asking, "So Kono came up with this plan?"

Chin nodded, and Danny laid a hand over his eyes. "Yes, apparently you are a bad influence on her."

"What's the plan?"

Danny glanced around the office as if he expected someone to be eavesdropping. "Well, you remember Jonathan Quinn?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Jonathan Quinn's ten days in Halawa Correctional Facility bordered on tedium. His activities consisted of breakfast, lunch, dinner, exercise and ways to better himself. Unfortunately, after Keller's escape his activities had been cut to breakfast, lunch and dinner. The warden was keeping him isolated as much as possible, which Quinn didn't mind.

Today, however, he was allowed a trip to the library. He found the best thing to occupy his time was reading. That way he could keep to himself and stay out of the daily politics of prison life. He was escorted to the library by a guard named Carlson, who stationed himself inside the door upon their arrival.

Quinn glanced down at his shackled ankles. "Do you think you can take these restraints off while I'm here?"

"No chance. The warden says they stay on." Carlson cleared his throat. "You've got fifteen minutes."

Quinn ignored the man and turned to scan the shelves. He noted Carlson had an irritating way of clearing his throat every minute or so. He could probably calculate his allotted time in the library by the number of hacking sounds the guard made.

He was almost to the end of one row when he heard the door open and close, then the lights went out. Quinn's right eye began to twitch the way it did when something was wrong. He glanced back and from the small shaft of light coming through the door's window he could tell Carlson was gone. His eyes shifted around the room. There were too many places for someone to hide in the darkened space. He took a step backward. The clinking metal reminded him of his shackled feet. He needed the security of a wall behind him, so whoever was there would have to attack him head on.

Quinn pressed against the concrete wall at the back of the library, focusing all his attention on the presence he felt in the room. Beads of sweat slipped down his face. Then he heard a noise to his left, but the attack came from his right.

Quinn's right arm blocked the rock-like fist that flew at his face. He countered with a quick punch to the masked attacker's gut, which gave him only seconds to shift his position before the man came at him again. He blocked several punch and kick combinations, but others hit their mark, and he could feel his battered flesh beginning to bruise and swell. The shackles prohibited him from solidifying his stance and the force of a kick to his chest knocked him against the wall.

In his unstable position, he was just able to dodge another attack. The man's fist hit the wall and Quinn used the painful distraction to thrust his elbow into the assailant's ribs and shuffle toward the exit.

Quinn had been in many tight spots before, but never when his feet were bound. He couldn't move quickly, but his mind was working fast. He had already noted that the man wasn't in prison garb and his fighting style suggested he was a trained professional. Quinn knew he needed some sort of weapon or he would be done for. The only implements available were the books on the shelves. He knew they weren't going to impede the man's mission, but perhaps it would stall the man long enough for him to escape.

He began throwing books at his attacker, who was now charging at him with a renewed vengeance. The man knocked away the objects and lunged forward, which caused Quinn to take a couple quick steps backward. That was his downfall.

Quinn lay on the floor, dazed from hitting his head. A weight crushed against his chest and a vise like grip constricted his throat. _Air,_ his mind screamed as he struggled to remove the hands from their strangle hold. He heard a whooshing sound explode in his ears as he felt a cold numbness creep over his body. And then, nothing.

**A/N: Finally! It's been so long since I've posted and I apologize profusely. October was crazy and November was as well since I participated in National Novel Writing Month. I hope this chapter was enjoyable. I had a hard time working out some of the details, which is another reason it took me so long. I'd probably still be here editing and revising if my mom wasn't urging me to post it. :D And a big thanks to those who kept asking if I was continuing. **

**On another note, for those of you who like Star Wars and The Avengers, I'm co-authoring a crossover with Shakespeare's Lemonade, and we recently posted the first chapter. It's called _Cold Revenge_ and it's published under our joint penname "Shakespeare's Fury". I know, how clever. :D**


	18. Uncovering

**Chapter 18**

"**Uncovering"**

The Commander of Five-0 faced the steel door that led into a small room at the Halawa Correctional Facility. It wasn't his habit to put his hands in his pockets because his military training prohibited that. However, for the next undetermined amount of time he would make an exception. Placing his right hand in his pocket, he opened the door, and stepped inside.

The room was bathed in gray light, which cast a ghostly shadow on the man seated in a lone chair. His left eye was swollen shut, but he still managed to glare at the newcomer.

Steve closed the door behind him. "Heard you had an accident, Quinn."

Jonathan Quinn snorted in reply.

"Did you get a look at the guy who did this to you?"

Quinn looked away.

"How 'bout that," Steve said. "Another guy got the drop on you and you can't remember what he looks like. You're slipping."

There was a knock on the door and seconds later Danny and Chin entered. They positioned themselves on either side of Steve.

"Hey, buddy," Danny greeted the prisoner. "You don't look as good as the last time we had a little chat. Did you fall down a flight of stairs or something?" He held his hand up. "No, wait. I just got a call about this. What was it?" His voice rose in volume. "Oh, yeah, someone tried to kill you. Any thoughts who that someone might be?"

Quinn said nothing, but watched out of the corner of his eye as Chin moved behind him.

Steve turned to Danny. "I have an idea." He faced Quinn once more. "Maybe it was your old friend, Paul Keller."

Quinn sneered. "It wasn't Keller."

"You sure about that?" Danny questioned. "Because if I were Keller," he placed a hand on his chest, "and I were footloose and fancy free, I might be a little concerned that you would shoot your mouth off to get back at me for leaving you in this hell hole."

Quinn narrowed his good eye. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Danny tapped Steve's arm. "I guess we're done here. Oh, but we didn't tell him about the two guys who were arrested with him at the warehouse. Sad story."

Steve grimaced and shook his head. "Strangled in their cells this morning."

Quinn shifted in his chair as if to stretch his muscles. "What do you want?" He noticed the man that had been standing behind him reappear.

Chin's face held no emotion as he spoke. "We want Keller before he gets you."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve closed the door to the room that held Jonathan Quinn. They had acquired the necessary information, the possible whereabouts of Paul Keller. Chin called HPD to ready a S.W.A.T. team, and Danny found Steve some ice for his right hand.

"Here, Steve." Danny handed him a bag of ice. "Do you think it's broken?"

"No." Steve flexed his bruised hand. "But it hurts like hell."

"Well, next time you go to swing at a guy in a dark room, actually hit him and not the wall behind him."

"Thanks, Danny, I'll try and remember that. Next time we have a plan that requires attacking someone, you're going in."

"Well, this was Kono's idea. How 'bout we let her do it next time."

Steve grinned and shook his head. "Let's go find Keller."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate glanced in his rear view mirror. The dark blue Charger that had been tailing him was just visible behind several cars. He knew it was the two police officers that Steve had assigned to protect him. It would be necessary to shake them at some point and unfortunately, they would report that to Steve. Nate shook his head as he stopped at a traffic light. He remembered his conversation with his brother the previous night and how concerned he had been.

"_I'm putting a police detail on you because Keller threatened to come after you," Steve told him. _

"_Is that really necessary?" Nate asked._

"_Necessary? It's mandatory. Look, I know you think I'm being overprotective here, but I'm not. Keller is dangerous and he wouldn't hesitate to hurt you." Steve paused. "If anything ever happened to you…" He looked away for a moment. "Nate, can you just do this for me?"_

It had been that simple. Nate had been assigned a police detail, whether he had wanted one or not. And now he faced the dilemma of whether to drive around as the little brother who needed to be protected or the man Steve didn't know exsited.

"Well," Nate said aloud, looking in his rearview mirror once again, "let's see if you guys have improved since last time."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

"Okay, everybody listen up," Steve ordered. Five-0 and HPD were down the street from the location Quinn had given them and were preparing to make entry. "Thermal imaging shows one heat signature in the house." He held up a picture. "This is our target, Paul Keller. He's ex-CIA, so don't underestimate him. He's already killed two cops during his stay in Hawaii and he won't hesitate to kill more. Watch yourselves. Let's move."

S.W.A.T. led the way with the three Five-0 members following behind. The pounding of the boots on the pavement matched the rhythm of Steve's heart as they closed in on the entrance to the house. He realized there was a possibility that the heat signature they picked up was not Keller. Steve clenched his jaw and shook off that possibility. He needed Keller to be there.

Seconds later they were at the door. Steve gave a quick hand signal. The sound of splintering wood announced their arrival as the door burst open from the force of the battering ram. Meeting with no resistance they moved throughout the house, clearing each room as they went. Steve checked the last room on the first floor, but found nothing.

"We've got someone upstairs," Steve heard Danny say in his ear piece, "It's not Keller. And I don't think it's one of his faithful few either."

"Damn it," Steve muttered. "Bring him down."

Steve waited at the bottom of the stairs as Danny and a S.W.A.T. officer escorted a ragged looking man toward him.

Danny pointed at the man. "He says he was just looking for a place to sleep. He crawled in through a back window."

"What's your name?" Steve asked.

The man looked dazed. "Martin," he croaked.

"How long have you been here?"

"I…I don't know…maybe a couple hours." He cowered under Steve's gaze. "I didn't take nothin' 'cept, some muffins. I…I was hungry." His mouth hung open as if to say something more, but he remained silent.

"Did you see anyone coming or going from this house?"

Martin tapped his forehead with his fingers. "Uh…um…" He was struggling to understand what the man in charge was asking him."

"So what," Danny said, "you just crawl into people's houses and hope they're not home or won't be back for a while?"

Martin squeezed his head between his hands. "There's this guy…"

"What guy?" Steve demanded.

"The guy who knows this neighborhood. Who's here, who's gone, which places are best to camp out in. He told me they left and didn't think they'd be back."

"You said "they". There was more than one person?"

"I…I don't know. You'd have to ask, Surfer."

"Surfer?" Steve questioned.

"Yeah, yeah, that's the guy who knows the houses."

"Boss," Chin said over the radio, "you might want to come upstairs and see what I found."

"Danny, get him out of here," Steve said, nodding toward Martin. "And then find this Surfer guy and ask him what he knows about this place."

Steve raced up the stairs, taking two at a time. He saw Chin in the hallway outside one of the rooms; his usual composed expression betrayed a hint of apprehension. Steve didn't ask the reason for the look on his co-workers face; he peered into the room and saw the reason for himself.

Chin observed the affect the sight had on his boss. Steve's body stiffened and Chin wasn't sure if he was breathing. The room was painted a sunny yellow. Against the far wall sat a white bookcase filled with books. There was a wooden doll house and a bed covered with a brightly colored quilt and pillows. Chin noticed Steve's eyes were transfixed on a light blue pillow with a name embroidered on the front. _Natalie._

Steve's words were barely audible. "He was going to bring her here."

Chin opened his mouth to reply, but before he could Steve turned and disappeared down the stairs.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Kono had to admit she enjoyed being in the company of children. She sat in the school cafeteria listening to four eight year old girls talk about various subjects while they ate lunch. But the hottest topic of the hour was Natalie's Uncle Nate.

"He took me to the park and then he bought me ice cream," Natalie said.

"And he played in the sand with us," Grace added.

"Ooh, he sounds like fun," Lizzie said. "Can you bring him to school?"

Kono rolled her eyes.

"Maybe for current events," Tia suggested.

"Does he count as a current event?" Grace wondered.

Natalie shrugged. "I don't know, but he's really busy with important car stuff."

Lizzie's green eyes lit up. "Wow. Is he a race car driver?"

"Who cares," Tia said. "Is he cute?"

"No, he's handsome." Natalie turned to look at Kono. "Don't you think so, Miss K?"

Kono wondered what Natalie was up to, but she smiled at the girls who looked at her expectantly. She shrugged. "Yeah…I guess he's handsome."

A delighted giggle rose up from the quartet. Kono shook her head, letting her gaze drift over the room. A man entering the cafeteria caught her attention. "I'll be right back girls," Kono said. She walked toward the man, and upon seeing her, recognition crossed his face. "Hey, Boss, everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine," Steve replied.

Kono raised an eyebrow. "So, why are you here?"

"Do I need a reason to stop by and see my little girl at school?"

Kono's eyes narrowed as she tilted her head to the side. Somehow she knew he was lying. Maybe it was the way his eyes kept shifting around the room as if he was expecting something to happen. "Well, I find that kind of odd because you usually have a reason for everything you do."

A look that Steve reserved for Danny flashed across his face. "Just stopping by on my lunch break."

Kono put a hand on her hip. "Since when do you take a lunch break?"

"Since when do you question your boss?"

"Should I call Danny?"

Steve looked to his left for a moment. "He's not my babysitter."

Kono tried not to smile. "Well, you're not telling me what's going on."

He ran a hand over his face. "There was this house and a girl's room and… I need to get Natalie out of here," he blurted out.

Kono's eyes widened as she tried to take it all in. "Wait, slow down. Do you mean the place Quinn gave you?"

Steve rubbed his eyes. "Yeah. And I think Natty should come with me."

Kono stole a glance to where Natalie was sitting with her friends. "I don't want to tell you what to do, boss, but if you go over there and tell her she has to leave in the middle of the school day, you're gonna worry her. How can you do your job and keep an eye on her at the same time? Natty can't sit in the office all day and color. There's only so much coloring a little girl can do. You need to focus on finding Keller and let me take care of Natty."

Steve looked over at Natalie, his lips pressed together in concentration. Kono could see the struggle on his face as he battled with what she had just said. Before he made his decision, they heard Natalie calling, "Daddy!" Seconds later she slammed into Steve with a hug. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at Kono. "I just stopped by to see if you were behaving yourself."

Natalie smiled up at him. "I am. Do you want to meet my friends?"

Steve looked to where Natalie pointed. "Ah…I think-"

"Of course he does," Kono smiled.

Steve frowned at his co-worker, but allowed Natalie to lead him to the table.

Kono watched as Natalie's introduction of her Daddy caused an excited commotion, not only at her table, but the surrounding tables as well. If Steve McGarrett had ever blushed in his life this was the moment.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

After a short visit with Natalie, Steve made his way back to headquarters. Danny had just called and filled him in on what information they were able to obtain from the man known as Surfer. He had given Danny a description of a car that had left the house earlier that morning, but he only remembered the three numbers on the license plate. HPD was now searching for the vehicle in question.

That was the good news. The bad news was yet to come. A few minutes later, Steve received a phone call from Officer Ano, one of the two officers providing protection for Nate. He reported they had lost visual contact about five minutes earlier and were wondering how they should proceed.

He told the officer to make a general sweep of the area and wait to hear back from him. He ended the call and immediately selected his brother's number.

"Hello," Nate answered.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is everything alright?"

Steve breathed out in relief. "Yeah." Now that he knew Nate was okay he wasn't sure what to say next. "So, how's your day goin'?"

"Fine. How's yours?"

"Could be better. Where are you?"

"I'm out…running a few errands. What are you up to?"

"Did you eat lunch? I thought maybe we could grab something. Where are you?"

"Actually, I already ate. I'll be home later, we can have dinner together. Natty mentioned having a game night."

"Okay." Steve noticed Nate redirected the conversation every time he asked where he was. He didn't think his brother was in any danger, but there was something he was trying to hide. "Anything you need to tell me, Nate?"

"Like what?"

Steve looked out his side window, "Maybe the reason why I just got a call from the officers assigned to protect you."

"Really? What'd they say?"

Steve's irritation seeped into his voice. "They can't seem to find you. Do you know why that is?"

Nate didn't need to see his brother's face to know he was scowling. He could hear it. "Um…"

"I don't want to hear excuses, Nate. You agreed to this last night. What's the problem?"

"There's no problem. They just…can't keep up, I guess."

Steve didn't like his brother's tone. It was flecked with sarcasm. "Well, if your car's the problem, I can fix it so it goes from zero to sixty in five minutes, or _maybe_, you could do what you agreed to and we won't need to discuss this again."

Nate clenched his jaw and swallowed his frustration. "Yes…_sir_."

Steve felt the sting in Nate's response. That "sir" was Nate's way of letting him know he had crossed the line again and was acting like their father. Steve didn't care. He was doing what was necessary to keep his brother safe. "Good. I'm assuming you can find your way back to your detail?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll see you later."

Steve tossed his phone on the seat next to him. He was beginning to understand more and more why their dad had sent them away all those years ago.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Alex sunk her teeth into a crispy egg roll. She and two of her sisters had spent the afternoon packing and were now in her kitchen enjoying Chinese food and some laughs.

"I still can't believe you laughed when Steve proposed to you," Abby said.

"Oh, come on, Abby, this is Alex we're talking about," Emma laughed. Emma was the second oldest Reilly sister and always enjoyed a humorous story. "I would've loved to have seen his face."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "He was a little upset with me, but he got over it."

Abby sighed. "That poor man. If I had laughed at Peter when he asked me to marry him I'm not sure what he would've done."

"He would've been extremely offended," Emma answered. "Then he would've done his little military turn thing and walked away. He's such a bore."

Abby glared at her. "He is not."

Emma wrinkled her nose. "I bet I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen that husband of yours smile."

"He's a lot of fun."

Emma snorted. "Have you looked up the word _fun _in the dictionary?"

Abby stuck out her tongue "Well, Michael would have pouted."

"Yes, and then he would've said something sarcastic and left me to my fit of laughter."

Alex shook her head and smiled at her sisters. She would miss them. Closing her eyes for a moment, she imprinted this scene in her memory. "What will I do without my sisters?"

"Probably nothing," Abby replied, taking a bite of her lo mein.

"Are you kidding!" Emma exclaimed. "With that man? She probably won't be able to come up for air!"

Abby gasped, placing a hand on her chest. "Emma Lee!"

"_What_?" She threw her hands in the air. "We're sisters. We can talk about stuff like that."

Alex smiled. "I'm sure I'll find something to do."

Someone cleared their throat. The three sisters turned to see a tall man with brown hair, shaking his head.

"Hello, Michael," they sputtered. The three women looked as if they had swallowed the last of the forbidden cookies from mother's cookie jar.

Michael Adams had heard enough of the ladies' discussion to know who they were talking about. The way his wife and sisters-in-law were carrying on was reserved for one person. And that person was Steve McGarrett. He groaned. It made him slightly jealous.

"Okay, I've officially been knocked off my pedestal as best looking son-in-law," he complained.

"She's not married yet," Emma corrected him.

"It doesn't matter, it's going to happen." He winked at Alex. "Let me see the ring." He frowned as she held her hand out. "Nice, job Steve, you had to outdo me there too."

"Oh, you poor baby," Emma consoled him. "Come here, Mikey." She held out her arms to him. He dramatically hung his head and walked into her embrace.

"For a doctor, you have a very delicate ego," Abby pointed out.

He smirked. "You'd be surprised what I have to do to compete for attention with two children under the age of seven." He patted Emma's belly. "And with Michael Jr. on the way-"

Emma slapped his shoulder. "I've told you already that one Michael is enough. Besides, I think this one might be a Steve."

"Steve can have his own Steves," Michael whined. "I'm sure Alex will be nice enough to help him out with that." He noticed the empty take out containers. "I see you ladies left me nothing to eat." He frowned. "Typical."

Michael continued speaking, filling the sisters in on his day at the hospital. So enthralled with his story-telling, he failed to see the expression on Alex's face. However, her two siblings noticed and glanced at each other with concern.

"I'll be right back." Alex walked from the room.

"Mikey, I need some ice cream," Emma said.

"What? I haven't had dinner yet," he replied. "And I didn't finish my story."

"Tell me in the car." Emma grabbed her husband's hand and pulled him toward the door. "Bye, Abby. Bye, Alex. See you tomorrow." With the slightest tilt of her head she signaled Abby to find out what had upset Alex.

"Bye, Abs," Michael winked, knowing Abby didn't like that nickname. "See you later, Alex," he called. "Tell Steve thanks for dethroning me, but he still owes me a steak. He'll know what I mean." Michael felt his wife squeeze his hand. "I'm coming, Em."

After the door banged closed, Abby slipped out of her chair and walked into the living room. She saw Alex leaning against the wall staring out the window. Abby couldn't remember the last time she had seen her sister with such a pained expression. She wondered if Alex's eyes were misty or if it was just a reflection. It distressed Abby because it wasn't like Alex to cry and she couldn't imagine what had caused her to react this way.

"What do you think I do?" Alex asked.

"What do you mean?"

"My job."

Abby shrugged. "You're a writer…at least that's what you told me."

Alex turned to her right allowing her back to rest against the wall. "Yeah, a writer." She laughed. A laugh devoid of any humor.

Abby stepped forward. "What's wrong?"

Alex bit her bottom lip, trying to keep her voice from cracking. "Steve having his own Steves."

"What?" Abby smiled. "You don't need to name your children Steve if you don't want to."

Alex put a hand over her eyes. "That's not it."

"Oh, wait. Are you saying Steve doesn't want kids?"

Alex crossed her arms. "It's not him."

"_You_? You don't want kids? What does this have to do with your job? Alex, I don't understand what you're trying to tell me?"

"It's not that I don't want kids…" Alex had wanted to tell her sister for so long and the need for her to explain pushed its way to the surface. But reliving the details choked back the words she wanted to say. She closed her eyes, pretending she was alone and no one would hear the words she needed to say. "…I just can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" Abby watched as her sister lifted her shirt revealing the top of a large scar that disappeared below the waistband of her jeans. "Alex…?" Her mind searched for a possible explanation as to what had caused such a scar and why she hadn't known about it. But explanations would need to wait. Her little sister was crying.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait again. I intended to post much sooner, but pneumonia and the holidays said otherwise. Thanks for taking the time to read and share your thoughts on the story with me. It really means a lot. **

**Caseofmistakenid – I always enjoy reading your reviews. They are really encouraging. I wish you and your friend had an account so I could respond to them sooner, but I'll just keep thanking you this way. :D **


	19. Guess Who

**Chapter 19**

"**Guess Who"**

Tuesday morning Steve sat in his office at headquarters examining Keller's file. He rubbed his eyes. They felt gritty from lack of sleep. He forced himself to focus on the words before him. Even though he had gone over the details many times, he hoped there was something he had missed.

His thoughts shifted to the video clips of Keller's meetings with Wo Fat. Steve wondered if the rogue agent's escape could have been orchestrated by Wo Fat, who was established in Hawaii, and had the means to help Keller disappear. If that were the case they needed to locate the car they had a lead on or risk losing Keller completely.

There was a knock at the door and Danny poked his head in. "HPD found the car."

Steve scrambled from behind his desk. That was the news he had been waiting for. "Grab Chin, and let's go."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve turned his truck off the main road and followed a narrow lane as it curved along the ocean. Danny sat in the passenger seat trying to think of a way to say what was on his mind. He had to admit he was a little apprehensive about this lead. Not that he would turn and run, but he felt the need to share his concerns with Steve. They were partners after all.

"You do know this might be a set up, right?" Danny said.

"What?" Steve glanced at his partner, and Danny could tell by the look on his face he hadn't heard him.

"I'm trying to share what I'm feeling right now."

Steve looked at him for longer than he should have.

"Hey, watch the road!" Danny yelled.

A horn blared and Steve swerved to avoid hitting an oncoming car. "I'm sorry because I thought you just said you were trying to share your feelings with me while we're in the middle of an important case. But that's ridiculous you wouldn't do that."

"Let me rephrase that, I want to share my _concerns_ that have to do with this case."

Steve gestured toward Danny. "By all means share your concerns."

"I don't like your tone."

Steve sputtered. "Oh, I'm sorry. Please, Daniel, share your concerns."

Danny crossed his arms and looked out his window. "Just forget it."

"Are you serious?" Steve had his aneurysm face. "I just had to sit here and listen to you carry on and now you're not gonna tell me?"

"That's right, big boy. And I wasn't carrying on."

"Okay, whatever." Steve thought that perhaps he had been a little testy with Danny, but he was exhausted and what little energy he had left was reserved for finding Keller. He would apologize later.

As they arrived at the location, Steve spotted two police cars on the left side of the road. On the opposite side, he noticed the car in question parked in the driveway of a moderately sized home.

"Same thing happened last time," Danny mumbled.

"So now you're talking?" Steve replied. Danny flashed him a look and Steve sighed. "Sorry, what happened?"

"We got a hit on a car Keller used, we show up and," Danny smacked his hands together, "boom! The car blows up in our face. Maybe we should call the bomb squad and let them handle this."

Steve pulled the truck to a stop. "You're not bailing on me, are you?"

Danny opened his door. "Thinking about it."

Steve knew the car wasn't the important thing at the moment. It was just the lead that had brought them there. They needed to check out the house and the surrounding area to see if they could find Keller.

Chin and the other officers joined them by the blue Silverado. After a quick meeting, they broke up into two groups and crossed the road. One approached the house from the front while the other went around to the back.

Steve peered in through the open window to the right of the front door. No one was visible. He was about to move to the door when he heard a phone ring from inside the house. He looked back at Danny.

"Maybe it's for you," Danny joked.

Steve frowned and turned his attention back to the door. Clasping the doorknob, he turned it and pushed open the door. The phone still rang. It seemed to intensify as both groups cleared the house room by room.

"Nothing, boss," Chin called as he descended the stairs.

"Not even a gum wrapper," Danny reported, looking at the ringing phone then at his partner. "Are you gonna answer that or should I?"

Steve picked up the bright red phone. "Hello?"

"Guess who?" a familiar voice answered.

"Keller."

"You're so good at this game."

"What do you want?" Steve looked at Chin and pointed to the phone.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on finding the car," Keller commended him. "Unfortunately, you just missed me."

"I will find you."

"I know you will. That's why I'm staying on the line so you can trace this call." He laughed. "So what should we talk about, the weather, upcoming weddings, little brothers? I don't have a brother, but you do. Little Nate is such an interesting study. What's he doing today? Driving around in that nice car of his?"

Steve's mouth went dry. He felt panic tighten his throat. "It's me you want. Leave him out of this."

"You're so noble. Always looking out for those you care about. But you can't protect him forever. He's a big boy and eventually he'll need to go home. You can't possibly keep an eye on him way back in Boston."

Steve felt cold fingers of fear squeezing the life out of him. He couldn't breathe. It seemed Keller knew a lot more about his brother than he realized. "Keller, this is between us. We need to meet somewhere and finish this, just you and me."

"Just the two of us? Doesn't sound like much fun. You punch me, I shoot you and we go back and forth until we're both bloody corpses on the ground. Can you come up with something better?"

"How about you just tell me where you are."

"You're not very imaginative are you? I would have thought with all the time you've spent with _my_ little girl your imagination would have improved."

"What would you even know about that?"

"Natalie's imagination or the time you've spent with her?"

Chin nodded to Steve. He had traced the call.

"Leave her out of this," Steve ordered. "You've hurt her enough."

"And you haven't?" Keller snapped. "I'm not the only one who left her. Unless you've forgotten those four years you weren't around. You didn't even write. Who's the bad daddy now?"

Steve swallowed hard. "I'm gonna find you and this time you're not gonna get away."

"Well, I think I've talked long enough for you to accomplish that," Keller said. "I bid you farewell. Oh, and tell your partner he really shouldn't worry about the _car_ blowing up."

The call ended, but the mock concern in Keller's voice troubled Steve. A sudden beeping confirmed his fear.

"What's that?' Danny asked, looking around.

Steve pulled open a cabinet door near him. "We've got a bomb!" He grabbed Danny's arm and shouted. "Get out!"

The thundering of boots signaled the retreat from the building. A short prayer, panting, and several choice words rose from the group as they sprinted for safety. The bomb exploded and the force from the blast threw them into the air. Steve slammed against the pavement. His hands and knees bore the brunt of the impact. Pain coursed through his right leg and blood oozed from several scrapes on his hands.

The crackling of the fire, the choking of the men and the chattering of the radios filled Steve's ears. He hit the ground with his fist. He was angry at Keller, but more than that, he was angry at himself. Angry that he had allowed his clear thinking to be shut out by his need to get Keller.

These leads were well planned. He had told the others not to underestimate Keller, and yet, he had done just that. He had been desperate to believe that Keller could be so easily found.

Clenching his jaw to keep his frustration from spilling out, he picked himself off the ground. "Anyone hurt?" he called out.

"Only minor injuries," Chin answered.

"What is it with that lunatic?" Danny groaned. "Always blowing things up, damaging people's property, making our lives hell…" He clutched his arm as he caught his breath.

Steve looked at his partner. "You okay?"

"It's just my injury from the first time we tangled with Keller," Danny grimaced. "I hit it on the way out."

Steve looked back at the burning house. "Tell me this isn't happening, Danny."

"Do you really want me to tell you that?"

Steve wiped his arm over his face, but didn't reply.

"Steve, I did trace the call," Chin reminded him. "But you're not gonna like it."

"Where is he?"

"He's a little outside our jurisdiction."

"What's a little?"

"About a hundred miles northwest off the coast of Oahu."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The last of a rain shower drizzled down on the windshield of Nate's Corvette as he exited the car. The scent of rain and freshly mowed grass mixed in the air as he walked between the headstones toward his father's grave.

Nate saw the familiar figure of his boss waiting for him. Without acknowledging the older man's presence, he gazed down at his father's headstone.

"I'm not sure going against your brother's wishes was a wise decision on your part, Nathan," Mr. Hamilton said.

Nate knew losing his police detail was a bad idea, but he didn't care. "He'll get over it."

Mr. Hamilton gave Nate a curious look. "I'm not sure he will. I think you need to be careful."

"I can handle my brother."

Mr. Hamilton shook his head. He knew this conflict between the brothers would arise if Nate spent too much time in Hawaii. "You're not thinking clearly."

"He's acting like my father. I don't need him to do that."

"Nathan, you have two options. You can let your brother continue to act like your father or you can tell him the truth about yourself." He looked at the younger man. "Which one is less painful?"

"Is there a third option?"

Mr. Hamilton didn't respond.

Nate sighed.

"I should warn you that I've been keeping your brother busy. He needed to think Keller left the island."

"How'd you do that?"

"I was counting on your brother to not think clearly."

"And?"

"And he passed with flying colors."

Nate's brow furrowed. He looked at the older man in disbelief. "I can't tell if you're making a joke or not."

A faint smile crossed Mr. Hamilton's lips. "Your brother behaved as I thought he would. And I fed him the information he wanted to hear."

"Were there any casualties?"

"A house needed to be blown up for dramatic purposes, but don't worry I bought it first. I imagine your brother is at his breaking point by now. That's why, when it comes to ditching your police detail, I wouldn't assume that he will just 'get over it'."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny sat at his desk waiting for the eruption of Mount McGarrett. He was sure it would happen any time now, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. The only question was what would set him off. For the moment, Steve sat motionless in his office, glaring at the wall. Danny did have some questions regarding another case, but he didn't want to disturb his partner at the moment.

Keller was gone. Legally there was nothing they could do. Of course, that hadn't stopped them in the past, but things were different now. Steve was different. He had Natalie to think about. Danny knew that was the reason Steve was still sitting in his office and had not commandeered a boat to track down Keller.

Danny watched Steve answer his phone. His blank expression changed to his aneurysm face. Danny could hear him yelling. The eruption was beginning, and he imagined it would go on for some time.

"What do you mean you lost my brother?" Steve roared. "He what? You know what, find him. And I don't care if you have to arrest him; I want him in my office as soon as possible."

**A/N: Thank you for reading this story, which I hope is still making sense. I know it's taking me a long time to write, but I hope you continue to enjoy it. Thanks for all the encouraging reviews, and I'll try to post more often. **


	20. The Inevitable

**Chapter 20**

**"The Inevitable"**

The metal restraints encircling Nate's wrists were constricting, but even more, they were unnecessary. Nate had been taken off guard by Steve's order to have him arrested. And for what? Failing to comply with his wishes. Steve had definitely gone too far this time. The two officers bringing Nate in didn't seem comfortable either. But they were following orders.

They ascended the stairs to Five-0 headquarters and Nate saw Steve waiting for them at the top. His mouth was set in a firm line and his eyes were unyielding. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

Steve grabbed Nate's arm. "I'll take him from here." The two officers gave the youngest McGarrett a sympathetic look. They knew the commander of Five-0.

Steve dragged his brother through the main door of headquarters. "I can't wait to hear your explanation for this."

Nate pulled his arm out of Steve's grasp. "This is ridiculous, Steve."

Steve pointed his finger at his brother. "No, ridiculous is you losing your police detail. Go sit in my office."

"No."

Steve thought he saw Nate's lip curl. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Steve scowled. "Get your ass in my office or I'm gonna put it there for you." He saw something flash in Nate's eyes, but then he turned and entered the office, plopping himself on the couch.

Steve sat down in one of the chairs in the main room and rubbed the back of his neck. Those muscles ached. No, his whole body ached. He needed to sleep.

Danny had taken refuge in Chin's office. He sat on the edge of the desk while Chin leaned back in his chair. They watched and waited for Steve to finish what he had started. Five minutes passed. And before they hit ten, Danny was pacing the floor.

"How long is Steve gonna leave him in there?" Danny wondered. Just as he spoke, Steve stood and marched into his office.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Nate looked up as Steve entered the room. "Are you here to sentence me?"

"Shut up," Steve ordered, leaning against his desk.

"You shut up," Nate countered.

"This is my office you shut up."

Nate stood. "I don't take orders from you."

Steve stepped toward his brother. "And you don't keep your word either."

Nate looked away for a moment. "I never should have agreed to this."

"Agreed to what? Being safe?"

Nate's eyes flashed. "Being under your control."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm surprised you let me tie my own shoes."

Steve snorted. "I'm not gonna apologize for wanting to keep you safe."

"Who said you had to keep me safe?"

Steve shook his head. "You have no idea what Keller is capable of. I've experienced it, not only from him but others like him." Nate seemed unaffected as he turned away to look out the window into the main room. "Damnit, Nate," Steve snapped, "if you ever have to face horrors like that I would never forgive myself."

"Too late," Nate mumbled.

"What?"

"It's getting late. Are you gonna take these bracelets off and let me go?"

"We're not done here."

"We were done a long time ago."

Steve stiffened. He really thought they were going to get through this. He had let a lot slide in an effort to fix their relationship, but now Nate didn't seem to care. He wasn't the same person he was last week when they went hiking. Steve didn't know what had changed. "So that's it?"

Nate didn't respond. He only stared back at his brother.

Steve stepped forward and removed the handcuffs. "Get out."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny and Chin watched Nate leave headquarters. The blond detective ran a hand through his hair. "At least they didn't hit each other."

Chin looked at Danny. "I think you should go talk to Steve."

"Been there. Done that. Your turn. You know Nate better than I do. You might have something relevant to say other than my usual 'don't give up on your brother' speech."

Chin stood and walked toward the door. "I guess I can give it a shot."

"That's what I want to hear." Danny took Chin's vacated chair. "Yell if you need backup."

Chin smirked. "Thanks." He left his office and approached Steve's door. His boss was sitting behind his desk twisting a bottle of green tea in his hands. Chin knocked.

Steve set the bottle down. "Come in."

Chin entered and looked at the handcuffs that lay on the desk. "So did Nate go home?"

"No idea."

"You may not know this, but this isn't your brother's first time losing a police tail."

"What?"

"When your brother was here visiting and your dad had to go to work he paid off duty police officers to keep an eye on Nate."

"How do you know that?"

Chin raised an eyebrow. "I was one of those off duty cops."

Steve wiped a hand over his mouth. "That's why he was so upset."

"I just thought you should know."

"Thanks, Chin," Steve replied. At that moment, his phone rang and he glanced at the screen. "I have to take this." Chin nodded and Steve waited until the door closed before he answered. "McGarrett."

The voice on the other end sounded tense. "I had to dig deep for this one, but I've got something on that woman you asked me about."

"What is it?"

"She's a nasty one. One of management's favorite mechanics."

Steve frowned. He wondered how Nate could have possibly gotten himself mixed up with an assassin. Maybe he didn't know. "Any idea what she's doing in Hawaii?"

"As far as I can tell she's on vacation with her father."

"Anything on the other name I gave you?"

"Nothing really, except he sells cars to wealthy people, but I think you knew that already." He paused momentarily. "He was actually in Paris with the woman a while back, and at the same time there was a death that she was supposedly involved in, but it was only talk. There was no solid evidence."

"Who was the victim?"

"A waitress at a little café. There didn't appear to be any connection between the victim and the woman in question, except that the woman and the man had lunch together at the cafe on a few occasions."

"Why did they suspect her?"

"According to witnesses, the woman demanded the waitress be fired for being rude to her and flirting with her boyfriend."

"Her boyfriend?"

The man cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, but that's what she called him. There were inconsistencies with how the woman described the victim's behavior and how the victim's co-workers described her. Apparently, she was kind hearted and relatively shy, not the type that would be rude to a customer or flirt with a stranger."

"Was the case ever solved?"

"Yeah. The police investigated and they concluded it was an accident."

"But you don't think so."

"I think someone came in, cleaned up the mess. Made sure the woman didn't get in trouble. Look, if you plan on trying to take her down for something, I'd be careful. She has friends in dark places."

"Thanks for the info. I owe you one."

"Yeah, more like three."

The call ended. Steve tossed the phone on his desk, feeling more like throwing it against the wall.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve wasn't hungry. The last place he wanted to be right now was sitting at the dinner table across from Nate. He was surprised that his brother had even come home after their confrontation that afternoon. Neither one spoke. Nor did they look at the other. All Steve could think about was Nate's involvement with Nicole Millay, and what his brother could possibly have in common with a killer.

"Daddy, can we put a light on?" Natalie asked.

Steve didn't look up from his plate. "The light's already on."

"But it's dark in here."

"Natalie, eat your dinner."

The little girl cast her gaze downward, hiding the hurt look in her eyes. He called me Natalie, she thought. What did I do? He usually asked her about school, but tonight all he said was "eat your dinner."

Natalie peeked at her Uncle Nate. Even he was grumpy. He hadn't smiled at her once. She didn't think he had eaten anything either. All he seemed to be doing was cutting his meat into a million pieces and pushing them around his plate.

Her daddy and Uncle Nate always made her feel happy and safe, but right now she struggled to get through dinner. She wished her mommy were there. She would know what was wrong. "Daddy, can I call mommy?"

The little girl's question broke into Steve's thoughts. "What?"

"Can I call mommy? I need to talk to her."

He was about to say "eat your dinner" when he noticed Natalie's troubled face. He pointed to her plate. "You finished?" She nodded quickly. "Go ahead."

The little girl left the room and the brothers immediately stood. A cautious look passed between them. The men realized they had each been waiting for Natalie to finish dinner, so they could leave the table. Steve grabbed his plate and Natalie's and headed for the kitchen. Nate left his plate and went outside.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve hadn't thought about how late it was for Alex when he said Natalie could call her, but he figured the little girl probably needed something that daddy couldn't give her. Besides, he knew he and Nate hadn't been very good company at the dinner table. That was probably one of the reasons she asked to call Alex.

Heading upstairs after finishing the dishes, Steve heard Natalie's voice coming from his room. He thought he heard her say something about grumpy Uncle Nate and grouchy daddy. His brows twisted together as he peered into the room.

Natalie saw him and her voice lowered to a whisper. "He's here. I think he heard me."

"Did you talk to him about it?" Alex asked.

"No, I don't think he wants to talk right now. His face is all scrunched up. Are you coming home yet? I miss you."

"This Saturday, for sure."

"That's too long."

"Do you want papa to come get you, so you can stay with him and nana for a few days?"

"Um," Natalie glanced at Steve who stood in the doorway. "I think daddy needs me."

"Why don't you let me talk to him."

Natalie sighed. "Okay. Bye mommy. I love you." She slid off the bed and held out the phone to Steve. "Mommy wants to talk to you."

He took the phone. "Get ready for bed. Then I'll read to you when I'm done."

That brought a faint smile to the little girl's lips as she left the room. Steve sat down on the bed. "Hey," he said.

"That's all I get?" Alex teased.

"Tired I guess."

"You sound it. How are you otherwise?"

"Fine."

"Hmm." She didn't believe that. "Well, just a few more days and I'll be back. Can't wait to see you."

"Mhmm."

"I miss you."

"Yeah."

"So…" she paused, "I cut my hair and I'm now a blonde."

"That's nice…" Then his brain registered what she had just said. "What. Why'd you do that?"

"Just to see if you were listening."

"So you didn't really do that?"

"No, Steve. Now tell me what's wrong."

Steve felt like an idiot. He had been thinking about other things and not paying attention to her. He could say nothing was wrong all he wanted, but Alex wouldn't believe him. "It's the end of a long day."

"Did that long day include Nate?"

"I saw him today."

"Before dinner?"

"Alex, stop interrogating me."

"I'm not. Natalie just said that you and Nate were grumpy and grouchy at dinner tonight. I just want to make sure everything's okay with you two."

Steve ran a hand over his eyes. He had to tell her something. "Things are a little difficult right now, but it'll work out."

"Okay, if you're sure."

"Yeah, it'll be fine."

"Well, I should let you go, I guess."

He was tired, but he didn't want the call to end. He just wanted to know she was still on the line, even if they didn't say anything. "Alex…"

"Yeah, I know. Love you too."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve sat in the darkened room beside Natalie's bed. He could hear her quiet breathing. She had been asleep for at least half an hour, but he stayed, rocking in the chair.

He recapped his conversation with Alex. She would be coming home in a few days. He hoped he would be in a better frame of mind when she came back, but that meant finding Keller, and figuring out Nate.

He fingered the prescription bottle he had found in his brother's room a couple days earlier. That wasn't the only mysterious thing about his brother. There was the accident that had caused him to miss their father's funeral, the lies and odd behavior, Nicole, and what had started it all, China.

Steve felt a sharp pain stab at his stomach and radiate outward as something occurred to him. Nate had reappeared in his life at the exact time Keller did. Was that coincidence? The two had been in China at the same time. Could it be possible that they were in league together? That could be the reason Nate didn't seem to be concerned about Keller's threats.

Those thoughts moved him from the chair. He hurried down the stairs. "Nate?" Steve called. He finally found him outside. "Nate, we need to talk."

Nate brushed past his brother trying to go inside. "We talked this afternoon."

Steve caught his arm and spun him around. "You're not walking away, changing the subject, or making excuses. I want some answers."

Nate frowned. "If this is about the police detail, I'm not talking about it anymore."

"This is about a lot of things I've let go, starting with Nicole Millay."

Nate flinched slightly, but remained silent.

"I know she's not who she pretends to be and it makes me think you're not either." Steve saw something shift in Nate's eyes, but he looked away before Steve could decipher it. "Damn it, Nate," Steve's face was lined with emotion, "your girlfriend gets paid to kill people. What is it you do that fascinates her so much? I doubt it's selling cars."

"She's not my girlfriend."

Steve put his hands on his hips. "Whatever she is, she seems to know a great deal about your sleeping habits."

Nate shifted his weight. "So what? Is that a crime?"

"It is if you're mixed up with what she's doing."

"You think I'm a murderer?"

Steve searched the darkness in Nate's eyes. "I don't know what you are."

"I'm your brother."

Steve reached into his pocket and retrieved the bottle of pills. "Then how 'bout you tell me what these are?"

Nate looked at the bottle. He had wondered where that had disappeared. "Um…it's for pain."

Steve's intense tone melted into sarcasm. "So I can take one of these and the pain in my ass will go away."

Nate grimaced. He felt like he was drowning. "No. I'll still be here."

Steve looked to his left. "How did you get hurt?"

"It was a sporting accident." Nate's answer was tentative. "I bruised…fractured…maybe broke a couple ribs."

"Let me see"

"It's fine. There's nothing to see."

"I just wanna make sure. Take your shirt off."

"I'd rather not."

"I didn't ask if you wanted to. Take it off." Steve stepped closer to Nate. "Or I'll do it for you."

Nate didn't see a way out. He pulled off his shirt, while taking a step back into a shadow. "You satisfied?"

Steve could see the wrapping that covered Nate's supposed injury. "Why don't you come into the light again and turn around."

"Come on, Steve, this is ridiculous. You've seen the bandage. No big deal."

"Turn around."

Nate hesitated, but he knew Steve would persist until he complied. He turned around. Steve's silence unnerved him. Finally, he felt a finger run over one of the vertical scars on his back.

"Where'd you get these?"

Nate thought he detected a catch in Steve's voice. "My accident. The reason I wasn't at dad's funeral." He felt Steve's finger press on the circular scar he thought had been covered by the bandage.

"What kind of accident leaves you with a gunshot wound?"

Nate stepped away and put his shirt back on. "I don't want to talk about it."

Steve ran a hand over his face. "Did Nicole do this to you? Is she holding something over you?" He grabbed Nate by the shoulders. "What aren't you telling me?" Steve forced his brother to look at him.

He hadn't noticed before, but there was something about Nate's eyes that said everything, yet nothing. It was a look he had often seen in his own eyes. A cold, aching, weariness. He had seen it after a grueling mission, after losing a team member, after coming home to the empty house his family once shared. The weariness never went away completely. He had just learned to bury it. And now it was staring back at him in the eyes of his little brother.

Steve blinked, realizing his eyes stung. He didn't know what his brother had been through that had caused that look, but before anything else was said he needed an answer to the question that had been burning in his mind for the past four years. "China, Nate. I need to know."

Nate cast his eyes downward. He felt the truth climbing up into his throat and onto his tongue. He couldn't hold it back any longer. He didn't want to. "I was… I was working with-"

"Daddy! Daddy!" The two men jumped as Natalie burst through the back door. Her red face and tear filled eyes arrested the brothers' attention. "I couldn't find you," she wailed, seizing Steve around the waist. "That man was trying to take me away from you."

Nate's heart twisted inside of him as he watched his brother scoop up the little girl.

"I called you, but you didn't come," she cried, hiding her face against Steve's neck.

Steve stroked the back of her head. "Shh, it's okay, sweetheart, it was just a bad dream. I'm here."

"But you weren't! And I couldn't find you. I thought he killed you."

"Shh, it's all right." Steve had thought Natalie was past the nightmares. "Nate, I'll be back," he assured him. "We need to finish this."

Nate only half nodded. Guilt flooded through him. Finishing their conversation would be harder because of Natalie's tearful interruption. He stared after them as they disappeared into the house, preparing himself for the inevitable.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve lay on his side rubbing Natalie's back as he sang a Hawaiian lullaby. Her sobs had receded and her breathing was now quiet and steady. Her grip on his shirt had loosened, and he suspected she had fallen asleep. He waited a few minutes more before gently removing her fingers from his sleeve. Then tucking in the blankets of his bed around her, he gave her a soft kiss on the top of her head.

He hated to leave her, but he was anxious to get back to his conversation with Nate. His brother had been about to tell him who he had been working with when Natalie had interrupted them. He left his door open and headed downstairs.

Nate wasn't in the living room, so Steve assumed he was still outside. He opened the door, but the backyard was empty. He had a sinking feeling. He ran through the house and yanked open the front door. Nate's car was gone and so was the answer to China.

**A/N: Well, it's been a while, but I will finish this story. Thanks for reading.**


	21. Where's Uncle Nate?

**A/N: In the next few chapters some things will be mentioned that take place in the season 1 finale and the first episode of season 2. For the most part I'm not going to go into great detail about these events, and I am changing a few things. Also, the canon events are only a small part of this story that are being used to move things forward.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks for reading!**

**Chapter 21**

"**Where's Uncle Nate?"**

Natalie's eyes popped open. She blinked several times trying to remember where she was and how she got there. It came back to her slowly. She had a bad dream, ran downstairs, and then her daddy put her in his bed. She sighed as she rubbed the last of the sleep from her eyes.

She heard the water running in the bathroom. _Daddy must be in the shower_, she thought. _I wonder if Uncle Nate's up._ Tossing the blankets aside, Natalie slid out of bed, and crept down the hall. She peered into Nate's room only to discover he wasn't there. _Maybe he's making breakfast._

Natalie hurried down the stairs, but Nate was nowhere to be found. All the doors were locked and the alarm was on. She scurried to the front window and pulled back the curtain. The silver Corvette that had become a familiar sight was gone.

She ran back upstairs and knocked on the bathroom door. "Daddy, where's Uncle Nate?"

"Go get dressed. I'll be out in a minute."

She banged on the door. "Uncle Nate's gone. Where is he?"

"Stop hitting the door, Natalie."

"His car is gone. Where'd he go?" She pounded on the door with her fists. "Why did he leave?" The door jerked open, and Natalie stumbled forward before regaining her balance. She looked up at her daddy. He looked upset.

"That's enough," Steve said, staring down at her.

Natalie never realized just how big and scary her daddy could look. His eyebrows were knotted together so tightly it looked painful,and the muscles in his neck seemed to be alive as they moved in and out. She swallowed. "Where's Uncle Nate?"

Steve put his hands on his hips. "I don't know."

"When will he be home?"

"I don't know."

Natalie's arms hung at her side. Her hands balled into fists. "Why don't you know?"

"Because I don't." Steve ran a hand through his hair. "I don't have an answer for you, Natalie. I wish I did."

"Well, he wouldn't just leave!" Natalie surprised herself with her harsh tone, but she couldn't stop. "He didn't even say goodbye."

"Sometimes people leave…and they don't say goodbye."

Natalie stared at him. Steve noticed her chin began to tremble as tears welled up in her eyes. He should have chosen his words more carefully.

"Natty I..."

"I don't care what you say! Uncle Nate's not like the rest of you! He would never leave without saying goodbye!" Natalie turned and ran from the room.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

When Steve arrived at work a manila envelope waited for him. He ripped it open and dumped out the contents. A gold key rattled onto his desk. He looked at it a moment before pushing it aside. He didn't want to think about the items from his father's tool box. He had enough on his mind.

Natalie's words still plagued him. The idea that she had dumped him into a category of "the rest of you", and placed his brother on a pedestal, bothered him. What was it about Nate she idolized so much? It wasn't that he was jealous, he just couldn't understand the secret bond that had formed between the two of them in less than three weeks.

Steve leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hand over his forehead. He wished he had answers to all his questions. Maybe he'd sleep better at night.

It didn't take a detective to notice that something was wrong with Steve. Danny stood in the doorway of his office, hands shoved in his pockets as he studied his friend. He had a feeling that some of his partner's behavior was brother related. After Nate's departure the previous day, Danny had worried that the two McGarrett brothers were getting dangerously close to an irreparable rift.

Danny's phone rang. He walked over to his desk and picked it up. It was Kono.

"Everything okay?" Danny asked.

"Sort of. I only have a minute, but I just wanted to know if you talked to the boss at all today."

"No, I only got a nod and a mumbled 'hello'. I didn't think talking to him was a good idea. Is there any particular reason you're asking?"

"Well, when I met him and Natty in the parking lot a little while ago things seemed to be pretty tense between them. When I asked Natty about it she said Nate left and Steve kept telling her he didn't know why or where he went. She's really upset, Danny. I tried to cheer her up, but nothing worked."

Danny exhaled. "As if Steve's life needed to get more complicated. I'll try to talk to him."

"Okay. And Danny…" Kono hesitated.

"What?"

"Let me know if you find out anything about Nate?"

Danny smiled. "Yeah, I'll do that. Have fun at school. And say hello to Grace for me."

"Will do."

Danny ended the call and placed the phone back on his desk. Then his eyes drifted back to his partner, but before he had time to think about what to do, an explosion rocked the building.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Paul Keller leaned back in his chair. He just finished his midday meal and felt rather sleepy. Perhaps an afternoon nap would be in order. Jason Lynch, who had hardly touched his food, sat across the table from him.

"Why so blue, J.J.?" Keller asked, his eyes nearly closed. "We are living the life here?"

Lynch glared at him. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe my arm hurts, and I'm sick of being forced to sit in the same room with you."

"Ah, yes, the horror of being under the control of a grouchy old spook. Why do you think I left the Company? It's more fun to be your own boss. I have a job opening. Interested?"

"I'd rather work for a grouchy old spook."

"Then you should get to work," Mr. Hamilton said as he walked into the room. "Both of you."

Lynch spun around. "Those were his words." He pointed to Keller.

"No doubt reflected in your own mind."

Keller tipped his chair, rocking it back and forth. "So tell me, Hamilton, who's the mystery person you're hiding upstairs. Don't deny there's someone up there, I saw Arthur bringing a tray of food up. Normally, my first guess would be a lady friend, but with you it's probably one of those mysterious types who does your dirty work."

"You have work to do," Mr. Hamilton said. "I suggest you get to it."

"Really? You're gonna leave me in suspense? How cruel. Well, you can't keep him, or her, a secret forever." Keller slammed his chair on the floor. "By the way, are you making any headway with Quinn's release from prison? Or did you not take that request seriously?"

"I'm taking care of my end of the deal. All you need to worry about are the details on your end."

"I'm not entirely happy with the way you work out your details. From what I hear, Quinn took quite a beating."

"Do I detect a hint of compassion for a fellow human being?" Mr. Hamilton asked. "That's something new."

"For you I'm sure it is." Keller's chair scraped against the floor as he stood up. "Just know that McGarrett is going to pay for Quinn's injuries one way or another." Keller smirked and sauntered out of the room with Lynch following reluctantly behind him.

Mr. Hamilton let his irritation roll off him. Keller would be dealt with soon if everything went according to plan. As for his mystery guest, he didn't want Keller to know about him until it was necessary, if ever.

"Liam," Arthur said, coming up next to him.

"What is it?"

"The governor's liaison, Laura Hills, was killed in a car bomb outside the Iolani Palace about an hour ago. I thought you should know."

Mr. Hamilton face molded into one of concern. "Make sure Nathan doesn't find out about this."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Henri Reilly glanced over at Natalie as she slept on the couch. She had insisted on waiting for her daddy there and not upstairs in a cozy bed. Henri turned his attention back to _War and Peace_, but during the past half hour he only managed to read one page.

He was concerned. It had been six hours since Steve had called him to ask if he and Hannah could take Natalie for the evening. Steve had said he needed to work late on Laura Hills' murder, and there was nothing to worry about, but Henri heard the tension in his voice. He had the feeling Steve had a theory about the bombing and was investigating on his own. Henri hoped he wouldn't do anything reckless. Lately, the younger man had been under a lot of stress, and Henri was concerned Steve might be reaching his breaking point.

Hannah came into the living room. She looked at the little girl on the couch and then at her husband in his recliner. "Why don't you just call Steve and tell him we'll keep Natalie for the night?"

Henri lifted his eyes from his book. "I'll give him a few more minutes."

"Did he say what he was doing?"

"No," Henri said, closing his book. "Something work related I imagine."

"Do you think he's all right?"

"I'm sure he's fine."

She nodded and laid a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Well, I'm going to bed."

Henri rested his hand on hers. "I'll be up shortly."

"I've been hearing that all of our married life, Henri Reilly."

He took her hand and kissed it. "Yes, but I've always made it worth your while, haven't I." He smirked.

Hannah smiled and kissed him goodnight. "I'll be waiting."

Henri leaned back in his chair, a grin on his face, and tried to read again. He was beginning to think that finishing this book might be impossible, especially with all that was going on lately.

Finally, he heard a car door close, and moments later, there were three quick knocks on the door. Henri rose from his chair and answered it. Steve stood on the porch, dressed in black, as if he had been on some covert mission. He seemed anxious, and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Everything go all right, Steve?" Henri asked.

"Yeah, yeah, fine," Steve said, stepping into the house. "Where's Natty?"

Henri wanted to check on Steve's mental health before he let the younger man leave his house. "So Alex is coming back. Have you two discussed a date yet?

"A date for what?" Steve looked up the stairs. "Is Natty upstairs?"

Henri pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Hold on a minute, son. We need to talk."

Steve turned toward him. "Can it wait?"

"I don't think so. I'm not sure you should take Natalie home."

Steve looked to his left, letting his initial reaction of 'not an option' pass. "Why is that, sir?"

"When was the last time you slept, Commander?"

Steve's mouth opened, but then he closed it again. This wasn't Henri anymore. Admiral Reilly was asking the questions.

"Are you sure you can handle having Natty around?" Henri asked.

"I'm fine, sir." As convincing as Steve tried to sound his voice betrayed him.

"You want to rethink that because four years ago you said the same thing, and you were so drunk you couldn't even stand on your own two feet."

Steve looked at the floor. He didn't like remembering that. It took him three days before Henri finally convinced him to put down the bottle and sober up.

Henri watched as the younger man relived his past for a brief moment before he continued. "Steve, I don't want to hear you say you're fine. I want the truth."

Steve ran a hand over his face. What was he supposed to say? Keller escaped the island, his brother left, and he had just broken into the Governor's mansion, and found incriminating evidence against her? He wasn't okay. How could he be? But all he knew was he had to bring Natalie home. He couldn't relax or even sleep if he knew she wasn't in the room next to him where he could keep her safe.

"Daddy?" Natalie's sleepy voice called.

Steve looked into the living room and saw her sitting up on the couch rubbing her eyes. He glanced at Henri before going over to her. "Hey, Natty." He bent down in front of her.

"I'm sorry I was mad at you this morning," she said, looking down at her hands.

"I know, I'm sorry, too. I wasn't very nice either."

"Uncle Nate's gonna come back, isn't he?"

Steve forced a smile. "I hope so."

She sighed. "Me too. Can we go home now?"

"Well," Steve said glancing at Henri, "maybe you should stay here tonight."

"No. I wanna go home with you."

Steve wanted her to come home, too, but maybe Henri was right. Maybe it was better that Natalie stayed here. If that morning had been any indication, Steve wasn't sure it was good for her to be around him right now. "Natty-"

"Take her home, Steve," Henri said. "Both of you need some sleep and I doubt either of you will get it otherwise."

Steve nodded and lifted Natalie off the couch. She put her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "Goodnight, sir," Steve said.

Henri put a hand on Steve's shoulder. "If you need anything…"

Steve nodded and walked out of the house.

Henri watched them leave. As worried as he was about Steve, he felt at this point it did more harm than good to separate him from Natalie. Henri hoped he had made the right decision.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve arrived home to find Danny waiting for him. He was the last person Steve wanted to talk to at the moment. He didn't want his partner to find out that he broke into the governor's mansion. Steve knew he probably wouldn't be able to keep that from him, but it was worth a try.

Steve stepped out of his truck and opened the back door to unbuckle Natalie, who had fallen asleep.

"Hey," Danny whispered, looking at Steve's attire. "Where were you tonight?"

"Out."

"I can see that. Do I even want to know where?"

Steve picked up Natalie. "Probably not."

"You better tell me then."

"I'm a little busy at the moment. Come back tomorrow."

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on," Danny said, raising his voice.

"Shh. You'll wake her up. And I don't want her awake because I wanna go to sleep." Steve closed the truck doors with his foot. "I'm not playing twenty questions with you either, Danny, so go away." Steve marched off toward the house with Natalie laying across his arms.

Danny followed after them. "It's not twenty questions, you moron, it's only one."

Steve reached the front door and realized his keys were in his pocket. He closed his eyes and exhaled.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked.

"My keys. They're in my pocket."

"So what do you want me to do about it?"

Steve turned and thrust his right hip toward Danny.

Danny stepped back and held his hands up. "Whoa. What are you doing?"

"I'm dancing. What do you think I'm doing, Danny? Get the keys."

"I'm not reaching in there," he said, pointing to Steve's pocket. "How about I hold Natty, and you get the keys?"

"If we keep moving her around she'll wake up."

Danny crossed his arms. "Well, I'm still not going in there."

"Daddy?" Natalie mumbled.

Steve looked upward and then at his partner. "Now look what you did."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Thankfully, Natalie fell asleep again without much of an effort on Steve's part. He wasn't sure what he would have done otherwise. Of course, Danny was still downstairs waiting for him in the living room. Steve knew there was no getting out of the conversation that would follow. He headed down the stairs and told Danny everything.

He started with the key he had received that morning, which unlocked the desk at the governor's mansion. Inside, he had found the missing items from his father's tool box, along with pictures of Laura Hills putting the mysterious envelopes on his truck. Those pictures made it very likely that the Governor was responsible for her death.

Danny shook his head as he tried to process the information. "I thought we agreed we were going to be smart about this, and not do anything stupid. You can't just go all Ninja-like and break into people's houses, especially the governor's."

"I had to know, Danny."

"You're not even thinking straight right now. When was the last time you slept, huh?" Danny didn't wait for Steve to answer before he continued, his voice escalating. "It was probably last week before Keller broke out."

"Danny, keep your voice down," Steve said, glancing upstairs. "If you wake her up again-"

Danny held up his hand. "Let's talk about it tomorrow, then we can discuss it with Chin and Kono. Besides, that's not why I came by."

"Really?"

"I'm here because I heard Nate left."

Steve didn't respond right away. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Well, I think there is. He's your brother. You can't let things end like this."

"He's the one that ended it. I tried…" Steve's voice caught in his throat and he looked away for a moment. "I tried to fix things. I thought we might be getting somewhere last night, but..."

"What do you mean?"

"It's hard to explain."

"Try."

Steve sat down on the couch and leaned back. "There was something in his eyes. I've seen it before."

"Okay. Where?" Danny said sitting down in the chair.

Steve ran a hand over his face. He was hesitant to tell Danny. "In the mirror."

Danny appeared a little surprised. "In the mirror? Okay."

"I know it sounds crazy."

"What causes this look?" Danny asked. Steve glanced at him, but didn't say anything. Danny threw his hands up. "Let me guess, it's classified?"

"Can we not talk about this tonight?"

"If we don't talk about it now we never will." Danny pointed at Steve. "You don't get a second chance at this, Steve. Nate is your only brother. Screw up now and that's it."

Steve rubbed his eyes. "It's from things I've seen, done, lost... Things that never go away that I'd like to forget."

Danny nodded slowly. "Well, let's start by making an assumption. Nate doesn't sell cars. Let's say he's a Navy SEAL and he does things that you use to do." Danny waited for Steve to disagree, to deny that there was any possibility his brother could do such things, but he didn't. He remained silent. Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow, I'm a little shocked you're not disagreeing with me?"

Steve let out a deep breath. "Nicole is a CIA assassin, Danny."

Danny's eyes widened. "Oh... So do you think maybe Nate... Nate's not really the assassin type. Do you think they're partners?"

"I don't know. But he had scars on his back. He didn't want me to see them."

"Scars? From what?"

"One was a gunshot wound. I don't know what the others were from. But he had another more recent injury. His ribs were wrapped and I found pain medication in his room. He said it wasn't a big deal. It was just some sporting accident."

"Do you believe him?"

Steve stood and walked across the room. "No. I don't." To hear himself admit that filled him with an agony he couldn't describe. Trust was something he didn't give easily to people. And the thought that his brother had betrayed his trust was about the worst thing he could imagine.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * *

It had been an hour since Danny left, and Steve lay awake staring at the ceiling. He hated the feeling of being exhausted and not able to sleep.

He sat up suddenly. He thought he heard someone whispering. After a few seconds, he determined it was coming from Natalie's room. He fell back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. If she was awake, he didn't think he could handle whatever it was she was going to need from him.

Finally, he threw back the sheet and blanket and went into the hallway. He could hear Natalie saying something, but to whom he didn't know.

"You shouldn't stay long," she whispered. "If daddy wakes up he'll be grouchy because he's so tired. He probably won't understand you and he might ask you to go away."

Steve inched closer to her room and peered around the door frame. There was no one in the room but Natalie. He wanted to walk in and ask her who she was talking to, but her next words stopped him.

"No, he's not mean," she said. "He'll just be worried because he probably can't see you like I can." She paused for a moment. "No, I think he would like you if he met you."

Steve flattened himself against the wall. Alex never mentioned Natalie having an imaginary friend, and he was sure she didn't have one last week. Or at least he thought he was sure.

Natalie yawned. "It's hard because Mommy's gone, and now Uncle Nate's gone, and I don't have anyone to talk to." Natalie was quiet, apparently listening to her friend. "No, I can't tell daddy I'm not okay because he's pretending he's okay. That's why I have to pretend I'm okay. But it's really hard." Natalie yawned again. "We better get some sleep. Thanks for talking."

Steve slid down the wall to the floor where he sat resting his head in his hands. He wasn't okay, but he told everyone he was. And without realizing it, he had taught Natalie to do the same thing.


	22. Breaking Point

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been so long in between updates. Here's ****a reminder from the previous chapter. **

**Some things mentioned in the next few chapters are inspired by or take place in the season 1 finale, and the first episode of season 2. For the most part, I'm not going into great detail about these events. Also, the canon events are only a small part of this story that are being used to move things forward.**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter. Thanks for reading. **

**Chapter 22**

"**Breaking Point"**

Something fuzzy touched Steve's chin. He jerked his head back, banging it against the wall. Rubbing his head he looked down and noticed Natalie's blue fleece blanket draped over his body. He realized he had fallen asleep on the floor outside of her room. She must have woken up at some point and put a blanket over him.

"You're awake," Natalie said, peeking around the doorframe of her room. She knelt down beside him. "I've been waiting for you to wake up for forever. How come you slept on the floor?"

Steve stretched his arms in front of him. "I just did." He didn't know what else to say. He wasn't sure if now was a good time to bring up the conversation he had overheard between her and her imaginary friend.

"You could have slept in my room. I would have fixed a bed for you." Her eyes lit up. "It would have been like a slumber party."

He rested his head against the wall and let his eyes close.

Natalie tilted her head and looked at him. Then she gently took his face in her hands. "Are you okay, Daddy?"

"I'm fi..." Steve looked into the little girl's light blue eyes. After hearing what she had said last night, he thought, for her sake, he should be honest. "Not the best, sweetheart."

She sighed. "Me neither."

"Come here." Steve pulled her onto his lap and rested his chin on her head.

"Maybe we should call in sick," Natalie suggested.

Steve smirked. "You wouldn't be trying to get out of school would you?"

"It's called a mental health day. Mommy takes them all the time."

"Uh-huh. And what do you do on these mental health days?"

"Sometimes we go to the zoo, or the movies, or any place fun. And there's always chocolate."

"I don't think we can do that today, but how about a quick swim before breakfast instead?"

Natalie turned to look at him, a smile lighting up her eyes. "I've never gotten to swim before breakfast."

"I'll take that as a yes then."

She nodded enthusiastically, kissed him on the cheek, and then scurried into her room. "Too bad we don't have matching bathing suits," she called. "Now that would be awesome!"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Somehow Danny wasn't surprised when he came out of his apartment to find a silver Camaro waiting for him. He saw Nate leaning against the car with his arms crossed. Danny smirked. Nate looked like Steve. And today, he was even dressed like Steve.

"What, did you raid your brother's closet?" Danny asked.

Nate smiled, glancing down at his cargo pants and boots. "No, I'm going hiking."

"Really? With Steve?"

Nate shook his head. "No."

"Well, you should be careful because your brother has a habit of falling off cliffs and breaking bones." Nate quirked an eyebrow, and Danny continued, "I just didn't know if it ran in the family."

"I'm sure I'll be fine."

Danny examined the car. "It looks great. But I probably can't afford what it cost you."

"Don't worry about it."

Danny held out the keys to the car Nate had let him borrow. "I guess I should give these to you. I didn't have time to take it through a carwash or anything."

"I'll take care of it." Nate gave Danny the keys to the Camaro. "I don't know if you'll be able to keep Steve out of the driver's seat or not..." It seemed as if Nate wanted to say something else, but instead he turned to leave. "I guess I'll be seeing you."

"Hey, Nate." The younger man stopped, but he didn't turn around. Danny came up beside him, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Did I ever tell you I had, I mean, have a little brother?"

"No."

"He's actually taller than me," Danny placed a hand several inches over his head, "but younger. Anyway, he made some bad choices a while back, and instead of coming clean, he ran." Danny squinted in the morning light, allowing his words to sink in for a moment. "I haven't seen him since. I'm not sure I ever will."

"I'm sorry." Nate's voice sounded hoarse.

"Yeah, me too." Danny turned toward the Camaro and opened the door. "I'd hate for Steve to go through the same thing. Maybe you can do something about that." Danny climbed into the car taking one last look at Nate. Then he drove away, leaving Nate alone on the sidewalk.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Governor Pat Jameson thumbed through the paperwork on her desk. It always seemed there was so much to do and so little time to do it. She sighed and set the papers aside. Sitting back in her chair, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. The stress she had been under lately was taking it's toll.

"Breathe," she told herself. "Everything will work out."

The intercom buzzed and a nasally voice announced, "Hannah Reilly is here, Governor."

"Thank you, Joan." The governor stood and walked around the desk as her office door opened. "Hannah, how are you?"

"I'm fine," Hannah replied, embracing her friend. "I am so sorry to hear about Laura Hills. Are you sure you're up for this today?"

"I certainly can't bow out of a charity brunch I'm expected to attend. I am glad you're coming with me."

Hannah squeezed her hand. "Pat, are you sure? What you went through yesterday isn't anything to take lightly. I'm sure the committee would accept your regrets."

Pat shook her head and smiled. "I'll be fine. Shall we go?"

"Yes, but first I was wondering if I could ask a favor?"

"Anything."

"Could you show me where Five-0 headquarters is?"

Pat's eyebrows rose. "Really? Why?"

Hannah pressed her palms together. "This may sound silly, but I baked them some muffins."

"Oh, that's...nice."

"I know they probably don't want some lady with muffins coming in and interrupting their important work, but I'm trying to mend some fences."

"Are you trying to bribe them?" Pat smiled, and Hannah chuckled.

"No, I'm just trying to be nice to Steve because I haven't done very well with that in the past."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate the gesture. I haven't heard any cars screeching out of the parking lot so he's probably in his office. I'll show you the way."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve didn't know what he was doing. He had cases to attend to, but he found himself unable to concentrate on them. His thoughts were jumbled. People and events were mixing together. Wo Fat was the governor, Governor Jameson and Laura Hills were partners in a devious scheme, Nate was killed by the car bomb, and somehow Keller became his brother. That thought was extremely disturbing.

Leaning forward, Steve placed his elbows on his desk and rubbed his hands over his head. He told himself he was just tired and needed some sleep. A short rest would help clear his thinking. He allowed his eyes to close.

The quiet hum of the mini refrigerator and the muffled voices of his team in the main room drifted further away. He could feel his body getting heavier. His elbows slid apart and his head lowered to the desk, coming to rest on his hands. There were no dreams, only blackness, as he fell into a bottomless sleep.

What seemed like moments later, he felt a shift in the darkness as he became aware of a presence in the room. He lifted his head and blinked several times, trying to focus on the figure standing in front of his desk.

"The couch might have been more comfortable," a familiar voice said.

Steve rubbed his eyes. He thought he was dreaming. But the wavy brown hair and blue eyes were real. "Alex?" Steve whispered. She smiled and moved toward him. He shoved back his chair and stood. The sudden action caused his head to spin and he lost his balance. As he tried to steady himself Alex caught his arm.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked.

Steve wasn't interested in answering questions at the moment. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and held her. For a long time, they embraced without speaking.

"I guess you missed me," Alex finally said, her voice muffled against his chest.

Steve pulled back and looked at her. "What happened to Saturday?" His voice sounded husky.

"I missed you."

As true as her response might be, Steve knew she still had things to finish in Virginia. She wouldn't have come back early just because she missed him. It wasn't like Alex to put her needs before finishing a task. He shook his head. "As nice as that sounds, I don't think that's the reason. The Alex Reilly I know wouldn't let her needs get in the way of what had to be done."

Alex ran her fingers down the back of his neck. "Maybe you're more important to me than anything I had to get done."

"You're making this difficult."

"I'm making this difficult?"

Steve studied her face. "Did your dad call you?"

She drew in a deep breath. "He might have."

"What'd he say?"

"Steve, I don't think that's really important. Besides, I'm here. And you know what, you haven't kissed me."

"What did he say?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Fine. My dad was concerned your ship was sailing and no one was at the helm."

Steve's face scrunched up. "What?"

"You know how my dad likes to explain things in nautical terms sometimes."

Steve stepped back and put his hands on his hips. "He thinks I'm losing it?"

"I knew I shouldn't have told you."

"And that's the reason you're here."

"Yeah, Steve, I only came because you're going crazy. Not because I love you, or missed you, or that I've been gone entirely too long."

Steve stared down at the floor. "This is about last night, isn't it?" He wasn't really mad that Henri thought he was losing it because in all honesty his mental state wasn't the greatest at the moment. It just annoyed him that Alex felt she needed to come back and rescue him.

"It doesn't matter, Steve," Alex said.

"Yeah, it does."

"Okay then. Tell me why you were dressed like a commando last night."

"I was working."

"Whatever you were working on must have been upsetting. Dad said you seemed anxious and distracted. Does any of that ring a bell?"

Steve crossed his arms and the frown on his face deepened. "I'm not perfect, Alex. I'm doing the best I can with all the stuff that's been going on."

He was getting defensive. Alex knew she could push for answers, but it wouldn't get her anywhere. He had his "I'm not going to budge look," and unless she wanted to send him over the edge he was teetering on she needed to back off. Besides, this wasn't how she envisioned their reunion.

"You know, Steve," she closed the gap between them, "I kind of thought you would have kissed me by now."

Steve looked to his left. "Not really in the mood."

"Well, that's certainly new for you," she teased.

Movement in the main room caught Steve's attention. His entire team, along with Natalie, was out there. "Natty's here?"

"I had Kono take her out of school. I couldn't wait to see her."

Steve continued to watch. "What are they doing out there?"

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

The Governor was explaining to Hannah about the great work Five-0 was doing as they approached its main entrance. However, what they saw through the glass doors was anything but work. Danny was standing with his back to them, facing Chin, Kono and Natalie.

"You're first, Chin," Danny said.

"Mother may I..." Chin began, "take two turtle steps forward?"

"What?" Danny exclaimed. "Why would anyone want to take turtle steps in this game? That's just stupid. The object is to cross the line I'm standing on." He motioned to the masking tape on the floor. "You're supposed to ask for giant steps, or cartwheels, or something that's gonna get you across this line the fastest. Right, Natty?"

"Well, I do like turtle steps," she said, "but giant steps are faster."

"Exactly, I know what I'm talking about."

Chin tilted his head. "Mother, may I take two _giant_ steps?"

Danny crossed his arms. "No, you may not."

"No?" Chin protested. "But you just said-"

"I know what I said, but maybe if you had said '_Father,_ may I take two giant steps' then I could have helped you. Do I look like a mother to you?" He pointed to Kono. "Next."

Kono grinned. "Um...Father, may I..._oh_."

Danny threw his hands out. "What? I'm waiting."

"I think we're in trouble," Natalie said, pointing behind him.

By the expressions of the three in front of him, Danny had the feeling he probably didn't want to turn around. Despite that, he put on a confident smile and turned just as the Governor and Hannah Reilly came into the room.

"Good morning, Governor," Danny said, fidgeting with his tie. "Mrs. Reilly. It's so nice to see you again." Neither of the women responded. "This isn't what it looks like," Danny reassured them, waving his hand toward his companions.

"It isn't?" the Governor asked.

"No, because you probably think we're goofing off or even playing games, when we're supposed to be solving difficult cases that baffle the minds of most... I'm gonna shut up now."

"Wise decision."

Natalie scurried up next to Danny. "It's not their fault; it's mine." She clasped her hands in front of her in remorse. "Send me to jail."

Danny looked at the ceiling, while Chin and Kono tried to hide their smiles.

"Natalie, shouldn't you be in school?" Hannah asked.

"I got to leave early, Nana," the little girl replied. "Now I'm just waiting for Mommy and Daddy to stop hugging and kissing and all that stuff, so we can go home."

Danny cleared his throat. "Governor, is there something I can help you with?"

"Alex, is back?" Hannah asked. "I had no idea."

"I'll go get her," Natalie offered, trotting off to Steve's office, more than happy to interrupt them. She returned moments later with Alex in tow and Steve following close behind.

"Hey, mom." Alex smiled. "Surprise."

"Come here and give me a hug," Hannah said. "What happened to Saturday?"

"I was just explaining that to Steve," Alex replied, embracing her mother. "So what are you doing here?"

Hannah held out a basket. "I brought muffins for Steve and his team." She handed it to Steve. "I hope that's okay."

Danny noticed Steve didn't seem to be in the mood for pleasantries. "Muffins. Absolutely," Danny said, lifting the cloth that covered the muffins. "What kind are they?"

"Cinnamon streusel," Hannah replied.

"Mmm, my favorite." He clapped Steve on the back. "Steve loves them, too."

Steve's reply was almost mechanical. "Thank you, ma'am."

Danny took the basket from his partner, who hardly seemed to notice. "I'll leave one on your desk, Steve."

"Do I get one of those muffins too?" Natalie asked. "I mean I practically work here now."

"Do you?" the Governor asked. "I wasn't aware Five-0 had a new member."

"Well, I mostly just spin in Daddy's chair and draw pictures and stuff, but when I grow up I'll be able to do everything Daddy does." Natalie looked up at Steve in adoration.

Governor Jameson smiled. "You should watch out, Commander. She might take your job someday."

"I'll keep an eye on her, ma'am."

"And you, Miss Natalie, if you work really hard I may have a job for you when you're older."

Steve placed his hands on Natalie's shoulders, pulling her closer to himself. Alex noticed his jaw tighten and the vein in his neck bulge. "That's a long way off," Steve replied.

Jameson nodded. "Perhaps, but little girls have a way of growing up before you know it." She turned to Hannah. "We should be going."

"Yes, we should." She hugged Alex and Natalie goodbye. "I hope to see the three of you later. Enjoy the muffins."

"We will!" Natalie squealed.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie sat on the couch in Steve's office munching on one of the streusel muffins. So focused on her delicious treat, she failed to hear the whispered conversation on the other side of the room.

"It's nothing, Alex," Steve said.

"That's not what I saw," she responded. "Why did you react that way when the governor made the comment about Natalie?"

Steve rubbed Alex's arms. "Can we just forget about this?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "If I had a dime for everytime you said that I'd be a rich woman."

Steve tilted his head toward Natalie. "I can't talk about it right now."

Alex bit her lip and looked out into the main room. "Relationships don't work very well when people don't talk to each other."

Steve ran a hand over his face. "Things are a little complicated right now."

"I know, Steve." She looked into his eyes, trying one last time to decipher what he wasn't telling her, but she was unable. "Let's talk soon."

Steve nodded. "Okay."

"I should go and let you get back to work." Alex turned toward Natalie. "Come on, Natty."

"So, dinner?" Steve asked.

"Just call me whenever you're done here." She headed toward the door. "Natty, let's go."

Steve couldn't let her leave like this. He hadn't even kissed her goodbye, not to mention hello. "Alex-"

At that moment, Chin burst into the room. "Steve, I just got a call from Duke, he said HPD is on their way to arrest you for Laura Hills' murder."

"What? Who's Laura Hills?" Alex asked, following Steve and Chin into the main room.

"What are you gonna do, Steve?" Chin questioned.

They could hear the wailing of sirens coming closer. "I don't know," Steve responded. "I can't do anything if I'm locked up."

"Please, just lay low, okay?" Danny pleaded. "We'll get something on the governor, and take care of this."

Alex had no idea what was happening, but Steve's reaction to the governor earlier made more sense now. "Steve?"

"I'm sorry, Alex." There wasn't time to say anything more. He turned to leave, but something slammed into him and wouldn't let go.

"Please don't leave!" Natalie screamed.

"You need to let him go, Natalie," Alex said, trying to pull the little girl away.

Natalie tightened her hold on Steve. "No!"

Everything faded away. All Steve could see was Natalie's tear stained face. In the next moment, he tore her arms away from himself, agonizing over her screams of protest. Then he ran out of the room. He didn't look back. He couldn't.


	23. Promises

**Chapter 23**

"**Promises"**

Nate watched as the darkened landscape and houses passed by the car window. He had spent the day hiking with Mr. Hamilton, a spur of the moment idea suggested by the older man to help Nate keep his mind off his problems with Steve. For the most part the hike hadn't helped, but Nate thought it had been good to be outside.

They were down the road from Mr. Hamilton's residence when Nate remembered to turn on his phone. It had been off all day because cell reception had been spotty. He was greeted by eight messages. Nate listened to the first one as Mr. Hamilton pulled into the driveway. It was Danny.

"Hey, Nate, give me a call. We need to talk. It's...really important."

As the car came to a stop, Nate opened his door and stepped out while listening to the next message. The content was similar to the first, but Danny's voice sounded tense. Nate grew concerned, but before he could listen to the next message something caught his eye.

A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was Keller. "Hamilton, I had no idea your mystery guest was McGarrett's little brother. How did you sink your claws into him?"

"Where's Lynch?" Mr. Hamilton demanded, his face lined with irritation.

"I put him to bed hours ago," Keller responded, his tone casual. "I needed a little _me_ time, and that wasn't possible with him always whining and following me around." Keller glanced from one man to the other. "Did you hear the news?"

"Anything else you have to say can be kept to yourself," Mr. Hamilton ordered.

Keller put his hands in his pockets and strolled over to them. "But I'd like to have a chat with little Nate. I've been wondering who the mastermind behind my escape was. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." He extended his hand, but Nate ignored it. "I see you have your brother's manners. Does big brother know about your clandestine activities?"

Nate looked away.

Keller shook his head. "Oh, you didn't tell him. That must cause problems. I guess that's why you're here and not helping him in his time of need."

Mr. Hamilton's anger flared. "You've said enough."

"What are you talking about?" Nate asked.

"I don't suppose Hamilton let you listen to the news?" Keller smirked. "Your hike was the perfect diversion to keep you in the dark about what's going on with your brother. I just can't figure out how you knew it would happen, old man."

Mr. Hamilton grabbed Keller's shirt and dragged him up the front steps.

Nate dashed after them, positioning himself between the men and the door. "Liam, stop!"

"He calls you, Liam?" Keller said, sarcasm evident in his voice. "I married your daughter and you wouldn't let me call you anything but sir."

Mr. Hamilton shoved him backward. Keller fell onto a rattan bench, knocking over a potted plant, and spilling its contents onto the floor.

Nate studied his boss. "What happened to Steve?"

Keller couldn't contain the triumphant smile as it spread across his face. He stood, straightening his rumpled shirt, and smoothing back his hair. He glanced at Mr. Hamilton. "Do you want to tell him, or should I?" Receiving no reply, Keller readily answered Nate's question. "I'm very sorry to tell you," there was no trace of remorse in his tone or expression, "but your brother murdered the Governor of Hawaii."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny sat in his Camaro outside the Reilly's home contemplating the last twelve hours since Steve's arrest. He had spent a good portion of the night trying to gather evidence that might help Steve, but since he technically was an unemployed detective, he didn't make much progress. To make matters worse, Kono was under investigation by Internal Affairs, and Chin had gone back to HPD.

Danny hadn't slept all night, but sleep was overrated. Or at least that's what he kept telling himself. And from the conversation he had thirty minutes earlier with Alex, he didn't think she had slept either.

Alex had told him her mother had taken the news of Governor Jameson's death very hard, especially after hearing Steve had been arrested for the murder. In her grief, Hannah Reilly had made a grievous statement concerning Steve's character, which Natalie had overheard. The little girl defended Steve and after that she hadn't spoken a word. Natalie even refused to be in the same room as Hannah, which was one of the reasons Danny was at the Reilly's home.

Stepping out of the car, he made his way to the front door. Alex answered, exhaustion evident in her features, but she was clearly relieved to see him. "Thanks for coming, Danny."

"No problem. At least this is something I can do," he replied, stepping inside. "Any change with Natty."

"No. She's in the living room. Maybe you can talk to her while I throw the rest of our things together."

"Yeah, sure. Your mom any better?"

Alex crossed her arms and glanced up the stairs. "A little. She's feeling badly about what happened with Natty last night, but she's still angry at Steve."

"He's innocent, and I promise you I'm gonna prove it one way or another."

"I know, but if he was framed by this Wo Fat character as you said, it seems that's gonna be easier said than done."

"We'll figure it out. For now let's get you and Natty settled at Steve's house."

"I'll just be a few more minutes." Alex turned and disappeared up the stairs.

Danny walked into the living room. Natalie sat on the couch, clutching a fuzzy striped blanket. She didn't acknowledge him, even after he sat next to her. "Hey, Natty," he said.

Danny rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together trying to think what he should say to the little girl. Maybe something funny would break her silence, but he couldn't think of anything. He sighed. It seemed when he needed words the most they deserted him. But it wasn't words this little girl needed. She needed her daddy.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny left the Reilly's house carrying two suitcases, while Alex followed with a suitcase and a backpack. Natalie carried her blanket, rolling her Batman suitcase behind her. None of them noticed the silver Corvette parked down the street behind a landscaping truck.

Nate had been there for almost thirty minutes, watching the house as he tried to convince himself to visit Natalie. He had gotten out of the car twice, only to climb back in and shut the door. He wondered if any of the neighbors were growing suspicious.

His opportunity to see Natalie slowly disappeared as she climbed into the Camaro. Sure, he could follow them, or even hurry over and stop them from leaving, but he wasn't sure they would want to see him. He didn't know if Natalie was angry at him for leaving without saying goodbye.

Nate wanted to find out if Natalie was all right. He knew he wasn't. And this situation had to be harder on a kid. But in the end it was the thought of Natalie rejecting him that kept him in the car. It wasn't as if she really needed him. She would be better off without him. Just like everyone else.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve's hands pressed against the cool, concrete floor of his prison cell as he worked on another set of push-ups. He tried to concentrate on counting to distract himself from the thoughts tearing at his mind.

_...fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five, Natalie... _ He squeezed his eyes closed. _Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, Nata-_

Steve collapsed, slamming the side of his face onto the floor. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't rid his mind of Natalie's frantic screams on the day he ran out of headquarters. Sucking in air through his clenched teeth, he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He lifted himself and positioned his back against the wall, letting his eyes close. His body felt as if it were made of the same concrete as the walls surrounding him. He wasn't sure he could move now that he had stopped. Throughout the night, he had been doing push-ups, sit-ups, anything to keep moving because idleness meant thinking. And he didn't want to think.

This was his second day behind bars, and even though Danny had tried to be optimistic during his visit the previous day, Steve knew his tenure here wasn't over yet. He was concerned about his present situation, but he was more concerned about Natalie and how she was handling all of this. Danny had been hesitant to give him information at first, but then he confessed Natalie was upset. Actually, beyond upset. She wasn't speaking. To anyone.

Steve wiped a hand over his face as his thoughts moved to Alex. He imagined she was angry with him for keeping so many things from her. That's probably why she hadn't come to see him. To be honest, he wasn't sure he wanted Alex to see him in his bright orange prison garb. It didn't matter that he was innocent because he felt guilty for not being honest with her. And right now that's what he cared about.

"Hey, McGarrett," a guard called. "You've got a visitor." Steve looked wearily at the man opening the cell door. "Let's go." The guard motioned for him to exit the room.

Despite the screams of protests from his tired body, Steve pushed himself off the floor, and preceded the guard to the visiting area. He wasn't in a rush, he knew it had to be Danny. Steve appreciated his partner coming to see him, but he wished Danny would spend his time looking for Wo Fat.

Steve entered the visiting area and walked to the last booth on the left, but it wasn't Danny waiting for him. It was Alex.

He stared at her for a long moment, unconsciously smoothing his prison uniform. Alex finally picked up the phone on her side of the glass and raised it to her ear. Steve sat down, running his hands through his hair to make it more presentable. He picked up his phone, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Orange is certainly a different color for you," she said with a hint of a smile.

He looked down. "Does that mean you don't like it?"

She shook her head and wrinkled her nose. "I wouldn't fill your closet with it."

He gave her a half smile. "How's Natty?"

"She's keeping to herself."

"She hasn't said anything?"

"No. She sits on the couch, or on your bed. She's quite attached to your pillow. She actually threw a fit when I tried to change the sheets."

Steve would have laughed if it wasn't so sad. His sweet little girl had been through more misery than any eight year old deserved.

They fell silent and his eyes drifted to the ring on her left hand. At least something was where it should be.

Alex noticed his gaze. "Did you think I'd take it off?"

Steve leaned forward, resting his elbows on the ledge in front of him. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not telling you...everything."

"Well, I guess next time I need to know something I'll just ask Danny. He's very forthcoming with information." She leaned toward the glass. "I could have helped you."

"That's why I didn't tell you." He looked over his right shoulder. "My dad died because of this and my sister almost got killed. I wasn't going to let that happen to you."

Alex ran a hand through her hair, trying to quell the frustration she felt. She had always known it was Steve's nature to be protective, but now he was more protective than ever. "So, this was a better plan?" She looked around. "You getting thrown in prison?"

"It's better than people I care about getting hurt."

"How many years do you think I would get for killing you for that idiotic comment?"

Steve frowned. "I'm trying to keep you safe and you're mad at me?"

"You spend so much time trying to keep everyone safe you forget about yourself. Of course, you don't like seeing people you care about getting hurt, who does? Did you ever think what it's like for us to see you get hurt? So yeah, I am mad at you for being selfish and trying to do this on your own."

"Selfish?" Steve looked away for a moment. "I'm selfish because I care what happens to you?"

"Look, I appreciate the fact you love me so much that you wanna keep me safe, but if you're constantly keeping things from me because you think I'm gonna get hurt, then where does that leave our relationship?" She rubbed her forehead. "I know what not talking about something does; it tears people apart. I ended up pushing you away, and we were both miserable. I don't want to be that miserable person again."

Steve's tone was gentle, but firm. "I'm not gonna let that happen, Alex."

She smiled and shook her head. "How 'bout _we _don't let that happen."

"Okay."

"Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't get yourself killed in here."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Natalie noticed the adults in her life seemed to be reluctant to talk about her daddy when she was around. She didn't like that. She wanted to know what was happening. She didn't think just because she had stopped talking was reason enough for them to not tell her things. She just didn't feel like talking. What was wrong with that?

Another thing she didn't like was the fact that she was with Uncle Danny while her mommy went to see daddy. It wasn't that she didn't like Uncle Danny, she thought he was great, and this treat called shave ice that he was talking about sounded yummy. She was upset because she couldn't see daddy. Adults were strange.

Natalie, deep in thought, hardly heard the introduction Danny made. She stared up at a big man smiling down at her. She thought Danny said his name was Kamekona, or something like that, but she didn't really care.

"First McGarrett's getting married," Kamekona stated, "now he's got himself a little girl. He is a man of many mysteries."

"Tell me about it," Danny said. "Can I get some shave ice."

Natalie lost in thought again, now heard the big man asking her what kind of shave ice she would like. She wasn't going to answer, but he didn't know that. She leaned into Danny who was standing next to her.

"How about grape?" Danny asked her.

She acted disinterested.

"Watermelon?"

She looked at her shoes.

"Wait, I know, strawberry? Your mom said you like that."

She lifted her head to look at him.

The corners of Danny's eyes crinkled. "Thought so. One strawberry ice for my little friend here."

"And what about you, Jersey Boy?" Kamekona asked.

Danny waved his hand. "None for me, thanks."

"You're missing out on a culinary delight."

"Culinary delight?" Danny snorted. "It's ice with food coloring and sugar, what's delightful about that?"

"It's more than that," Kamekona protested. "It's a delicious flavor you can't get anywhere else."

Natalie listened to the two men banter about whether or not shave ice was a culinary delight. She didn't really understand what there was to argue about, and she might have laughed, but she didn't feel like laughing today or any other day. At least not until daddy came home.

Finally, Kamekona produced a bright red, icy, delight with a long spoon straw sticking out the top. "There you go. This one's on the house."

"Thanks," Danny said, handing it to Natalie.

"It's the least I can do. Keep me posted on any new developments with our mutual friend."

Natalie thought she'd like to be posted on any new developments, too, but she didn't say so, and no one asked.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Steve ran a hand over his unshaven face. It's roughness reminded him of how long he had been in prison. _Four days, _he thought. _Four days of being stuck in this concrete cubicle. _

His skin tingled as if tiny insects crawled over it. He rubbed his hands over his thighs in an attempt to calm his taut nerves. Jumping up from the bed, he walked the short length of his cell and back. He decided pacing was better than sitting because it gave him something to do instead of allowing his mind to be consumed with more questions than he had answers.

"Hey, McGarrett, you've got another visitor," a guard said. "You've had more visitors in four days than some guys have their entire time here."

Steve frowned and walked out of the cell. When he reached the visiting area, and saw who waited for him, he almost turned back, but instead he sat down. He worked his jaw, trying to hold back his anger as he picked up the phone.

"So you wait until I'm in prison to finish our conversation," Steve said, his frown deepening. "You afraid of me, Nate?"

"No."

Steve pressed his lips together and nodded. "Why are you here?"

"I..."

Steve noticed the dark circles under his brother's eyes, and his unshaven, disheveled appearance. A part of Steve felt satisfied that he was suffering. Nate deserved to suffer for betraying his trust.

"Steve, I..." Nate's throat tightened.

"Look, Nate, if you've got nothing to say I'm leaving."

"I'm sorry," Nate choked out.

"What was that?"

"I'm sorry, Steve."

Steve's eyebrows shot up. "You're sorry? And what am I supposed to do just forgive you? You lied to me more than once, and then I gave you another chance to come clean and what did you do? You ran out. What do you want from me, Nate? Why do you keep coming back?"

"Because you're the only brother I have and I don't want to lose you." Nate's face held the desperation of a man at the end of the line.

"Well, how's that going for you? Because as far as I'm concerned I lost my brother a long time ago."

"Please, don't say that," Nate begged.

Steve shook his head and glanced back toward the guard. "I'm done here."

"Steve, wait. I'm gonna fix this." Nate watched as his brother hung up the phone and got up. "Steve, please wait!" Nate dropped the phone and banged on the glass partition. "I'm gonna fix this! I promise!"

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading. **


	24. Make It Out Alive

**Chapter 24**

"**Make It Out Alive"**

Danny wiped the condensation off the bathroom mirror so he could see the tie dangling around his neck. "Right over left or left over right?" he mumbled. He tried it both ways, neither worked. Danny swore as he yanked on both ends of the tie. He wiped his hand over the mirror again, then attempted to get his unruly tie to do his bidding. He was really going to be late this morning.

Danny was scheduled to pick up Joe White in an hour. Joe had contacted him a few days earlier, explaining he was Steve's friend and wanted to help. Danny's last experience with one of Steve's so called friends ended badly, but he knew his partner needed more help than he could offer. In the end, Danny had decided to remain cautiously optimistic, and accepted Joe White's help.

Focusing on the knotted tie again, Danny sputtered. "What the hell is this?"

He yanked the tie over his head and threw it against the mirror, venting his frustration in one long breath. Everything was going wrong this morning. When he climbed out of bed he stubbed his toe, then slammed his finger in the closet door after discovering he didn't have any clean shirts. He couldn't even remember the last time he had done laundry. Now he was wearing yesterday's clothes wrinkled with yesterday's problems. Maybe no one would notice.

Any other time, Danny might blame Steve for his mishaps, or inconveniences, but today it seemed unfair. No, it was more than unfair, it was wrong. How could Danny blame Steve for his lousy morning when his partner was locked in prison for a murder he didn't commit.

Danny picked up his tie and untangled it as he walked into the other room. Then in a solemn gesture, he smoothed out the wrinkled tie and placed it on his beloved tie rack. Standing back, he folded his arms, realizing he wouldn't be wearing a tie today, or any other day, until Steve was out of prison.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny eased the Camaro into the flow of traffic. He had brought Joe to see Steve at Halawala Correctional Facility and was now on his way to see Alex and Natalie.

"I need to stop by Steve's house before we do anything else," Danny said.

"That's fine," Joe replied.

"I just need to check on a couple of people."

"People?"

"I guess this didn't come up in your conversation with Steve, which doesn't surprise me because I don't think he remembers half the time that he's getting married."

Joe's eyebrows shot up. "Married? Steve?"

Danny looked over. "I can't believe it either, and you've known him longer. I'm sure it'll take you time to adjust, but Alex is pretty nice. Actually, I think she's too good for him."

"You don't mean Alex Reilly do you?"

"Yeah, you know her?"

Joe put his arm on the door ledge. "Her dad's a good man."

Danny wasn't sure what to make of that remark, so he left it alone. "I'll only be a few minutes."

A short time later, Danny pulled into Steve's driveway, parking behind the blue Silverado. He climbed out of the car and was surprised when Joe followed him without an invitation.

Danny rapped on the door, and a few moments later Alex opened it. Her smiled faded when she saw Joe.

"Commander White," Alex said. The coolness in her voice caught Danny off guard.

"Reilly," Joe responded with the same cool tone.

The warmth of the day didn't prevent a chill from creeping over Danny, it reminded him of a New Jersey winter. Discovering the tension that existed between Alex and Joe wasn't on the top of his priority list, so he ignored their frosty glares and walked into the house to find Natalie.

Joe followed him inside, looking around the room. He noticed a picture of Steve, Alex and Natalie. He picked it up. "I see you've made yourself at home here." Putting it down, Joe looked at Alex with what seemed to be a pleasant smile. "Steve's lucky to have you back."

Alex appeared to bite back a reply. At least that's what it looked like to Danny. He could tell whatever history lay between these two could cause a scene, and he didn't want that happening in front of Natalie.

"Alex, can we talk?" His words snapped her back to the moment. "Maybe in the kitchen?"

"Sure," she responded

Danny led the way. Joe watched them leave, then turned to look at Natalie on the couch. He had never been great with kids, but the sight of the little girl caused something to stir inside of him. He sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

A brief smile crossed his face. "Hi."

Natalie looked at him.

"You probably don't remember me," he continued, "we met a long time ago when you were little." Natalie's expression didn't change. "I'm good friends with Steve." Natalie blinked twice. "You know, the guy in the picture there with you." He pointed to the picture he had picked up moments ago.

Natalie slid off the couch and ran up the stairs. Joe thought he had scared her off, but seconds later she reappeared, and sat next to him. He looked at her with confusion until she dropped a book in his lap.

"You want me to read this?" he asked.

She blinked twice. Joe looked toward the kitchen hoping Danny and Alex would be coming back soon. He really didn't have much experience with this kind of thing, but figured he could give it a shot, for Steve's sake.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny leaned against the kitchen counter while Alex poured him some iced tea. "Is he going to be a problem for you?" Danny asked, gesturing toward the living room.

"No," Alex sighed. "I just didn't know he was coming."

"He only called me a few days ago and said he wanted to help with Steve's situation. I'm sorry, I should have let you know. I had no idea it would be a problem if I brought him here."

She handed him the glass. "Don't worry about it, Danny. It's fine."

"Ah-huh, so it's fine." Danny nodded as he pulled at the front of his shirt. "The fact that I'm not wearing a tie right now means nothing is fine, including whatever is going on between you and Joe White."

"Okay, you're right. He hates me."

"That I picked up on. Is it because of what happened between you and Steve?"

"It's more than that. Whether Steve realizes it or not, Commander White has always been looking out for him in his professional life as well as his private life. If White didn't like someone, he told them to get lost."

"He told you to get lost?"

"Not in those exact words."

"Did you tell Steve?"

Alex crossed her arms. "No. Steve's known him his whole life. I wasn't going to cause problems between them. I knew Joe wouldn't take it too far because he's friends with my dad. Joe's actually the one who introduced Steve to my dad."

"Well, that kind of backfired on him," Danny said.

"Yeah, but I guess it didn't help that I worked for the CIA either. He has an issue with the agency."

"You work for the CIA, so he hates you. Very logical."

"I don't know what it is. Maybe he didn't think I was right for Steve."

"And that's really his job to decide?"

Alex shrugged. "The guy's been married three times. Maybe he thinks he knows something."

Danny placed his glass on the counter. "Well, I'll keep him busy, so he doesn't have time to think about you. Then we'll let Steve deal with him once he's released. "

Alex smiled. "Sounds good to me."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

Danny backed the Camaro out of the driveway and headed to check out a lead. Joe was quiet and for the most part Danny wouldn't mind if he stayed that way, but he felt he had to say something.

He glanced at Joe. "That was nice of you to read to Natalie. She's been having a hard time with this whole thing."

"These things are always harder on kids," Joe replied.

"Well, it's hard on Alex, too."

Joe laughed. "She'll be fine, that woman's got a heart of stone."

"What?"

"You have no idea what she did to Steve do you?"

Danny gripped the steering wheel with one hand and waved the other. "I know that if in fact she did anything it's between them, and since they're getting married it's probably been worked out."

Joe shook his head. "You can think that, but she screwed him over good. Ask Steve about it sometime. It might do him some good to remember."

"I don't think that man forgets anything," Danny cocked his head, "except maybe his wallet. But right now, he has bigger problems."

"We'll get him out of jail. Don't worry."

"You sound pretty confident about that. Can you fix Steve's problems with his brother, too?"

"Nate? He's here?"

"Yup. And I think that problem is more complicated than getting Steve out of prison."

Joe looked out his window. "You just might be right about that."

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

There was nothing Steve hated about prison more than getting visitors. Once again he was being escorted from his cell. He had been informed this time his visitor was a chaplain. He wondered who had contacted him and why. Did Danny really think there was no hope of getting him out of this place? Or perhaps, his partner was concerned he might fall off the edge of sanity.

The guard opened the door to a small room, which was used for private interviews or counseling with inmates. Steve saw the chaplain sitting at a table in the center of the room. The man towered over the back of the chair and his posture possessed a military bearing. As Steve stepped closer, the man turned toward him.

Steve's first impression was whoever this guy claimed to be, he wasn't a chaplain. During his military career, Steve had met many chaplains. They were mostly men of good standing, who clearly wanted to help out anyway they could. Yes, a couple of them wanted to shove religion down the throat of anyone within a foot's distance, but for the most part, they were there to offer counsel and support to anyone who needed it.

Steve walked to the other side of the table and sat, letting his hands rest on his thighs as he studied the man before him. Something about his eyes bothered Steve; they held no warmth or concern. Instead, they sized him up, determining his worth, or something more Steve couldn't decipher.

Steve looked to his left and then back at the man. "So, what do we do here?" He raised his hands palm up. "I repent of something I didn't do and I get to go home?"

The man glanced over his shoulder as the guard exited and closed the door behind him. "Nothing's that easy, Commander."

"Then why are we here? Did Danny send you?"

"It doesn't really matter who sent me. What matters is that I can help you."

Steve was skeptical. "Help me what?"

The self-proclaimed chaplain leaned forward. "I was under the impression you wanted to get out of here. Is that correct?"

"Who wouldn't?"

"I can make the necessary arrangements to get you out, but then after that you're on your own, unless you agree to my terms."

"Your terms?" Steve snorted, his brow etched with lines of distrust. "I don't even know who the hell you are."

"Names aren't important. What I can give you is. You have family waiting for you on the outside, I can clear you of the governor's murder, so you can go home."

"What do you want?"

"Your help with an operation I'm running to take down the one who framed you."

"How do you know who framed me?"

"I have connections." The man paused, giving Steve a moment to think. "Will you do it?"

"Will I do what? I don't know anything about you, your operation, and you expect me to go along with it?"

"The answer's a simple 'yes' or 'no'. This proposition walks away when I do."

Steve worked his jaw as he weighed the offer. Yes, he didn't know who this man was, or why he was offering him a chance for freedom, but could he ignore the opportunity? What were the odds that Danny, or even Joe, could get him released? As these thoughts whirled in his mind, he realized the man was speaking again.

"Maybe you'll be able to prove your innocence, maybe you won't. But if you decline, there's a little girl who's going to bear the brunt of your decision."

The hair on the back of Steve's neck stood up. He didn't like the idea that this guy seemed to know so much about him and Natalie, but no one else was offering him a chance to get out of prison and hunt down Wo Fat.

Steve swallowed, hoping he wouldn't regret this. "I'll do it."

The man reached inside his blazer, pulled out a _Bible_, and slid it across the table. "I think you'll find the book of _Exodus_ very interesting." Then he stood and held his hand out to Steve. "Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me. John 14:1."

Steve got up and took his hand, but only in the event someone was watching. He had no problem with God, he had a problem with this guy. But if there was something Steve had learned in his life it was you had to take risks, which occasionally meant working with people you didn't trust. It wasn't ideal, but sometimes it was the only way to make it out alive.

* * * * * * H50 * * * * * *

It had been half an hour since Steve had been brought back to his cell, and he still hadn't looked at his instructions. Staring down at the _Bible_ in his hands, he ran his fingers over the leather cover. He wondered if this was really the right thing to do.

Finally, he flipped through the pages until he came to Exodus. His instructions were underlined in the text. He took a deep breath. Then did what it said.

A minute went by.

Then two.

After five minutes, Steve began to sweat, accompanied by waves of nausea that caused his stomach to retch. Seconds later, a vice-like grip constricted his chest. He struggled to pull himself up and make his way to the cell door. He wished the instructions had prepared him for this.

"Hey," he gasped. "I need...help." He tried to hold himself up, but the pain in his chest intensified and he collapsed.

The next thing he knew he was being lifted onto a stretcher and rolled away. One of the attendants grabbed his arm and injected something into it. Steve looked up at him, and for a moment he thought the man looked like Nate. Why would Nate be here? Steve's eyes slipped closed as he felt himself being hoisted off the ground and then set down with a jolt. He heard a voice call out instructions, and then two doors slammed shut.

He forced his eyes open. It appeared he was in an ambulance and there were two men riding with him, but he couldn't see their faces. All he wanted to do was close his eyes again. He finally gave in.

Sometime later, someone forced his left eyelid open and a bright light crossed in front of his eye.

"I guess, he'll live," one of the attendants said, his tone on the edge of disappointment. "What? Don't give me that look."

Steve thought there was something annoyingly familiar about the man's sarcastic tone, but his mind was too muddled to place it. He opened his eyes again and tried to focus on the man.

"Where's that sedative?" the same man asked. "We should give it to him before he recovers."

At that moment, he looked down at Steve. Their eyes met. The voice now had a name. Jason Lynch. Without thinking, Steve grabbed for Lynch's throat, but a sharp prick to his neck caused him to recoil, and seconds later he dropped off into darkness.

**A/N: I've been meaning to post this chapter for a few months, but life keeps getting in the way. Thanks to the reviewer today who helped me finally get the job done! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading. **


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